An 82-year-old Cincinnati driver is now facing criminal charges months after a November crash in West Price Hill that killed 72-year-old pedestrian Shirley Woods. The Hamilton County coroner identified Woods as the victim, and prosecutors have since filed new misdemeanor counts tied to the collision.
Charges and court date
Evelyn Neal faces misdemeanor counts of vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter, according to WKRC. The outlet reports that Neal is scheduled to appear in Hamilton County court Wednesday afternoon.
Crash details and timeline
The crash happened Nov. 2 on the 4000 block of West Eighth Street, when an 82-year-old driver turning from Trenton Avenue struck Woods as she walked in a marked crosswalk, according to WCPO. Surveillance video shared with investigators shows the vehicle stopping at the scene and first responders arriving within minutes, WCPO reported.
Why charges came later
Prosecutors filed the misdemeanor charges months after the deadly collision, a move that followed the coroner's identification of Woods and investigators' review of video evidence, according to WKRC. Police have also asked anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant video to contact the Cincinnati Police Department's traffic unit, as reported by WLWT.
Local context and safety trends
The West Price Hill fatality comes amid a broader rise in pedestrian deaths over the last decade. Preliminary national analysis shows that people killed while walking remain well above pre-2014 levels, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Safety advocates often point to measures such as improved crosswalks, slower street design and targeted enforcement as tools to reduce these kinds of crashes, although officials have not announced any specific changes at the West Eighth Street and Trenton Avenue intersection.
