Man reportedly walking in road struck, killed

Motorists on MIAMI TWP. —

Ohio 741 on Monday night said they saw a man in the middle of the street “walking toward cars” that narrowly avoided hitting him shortly before a man was killed.

Brandon A. Spearman, 29, of Dayton, was fatally struck on the state route — also called Springboro Pike — by an SUV about 7:50 p.m. near Cox Arboretum in Miami Twp., authorities said.

About 10 minutes before Spearman was hit, a woman said she was riding with her daughter southbound on Ohio 741 near the arboretum when they saw someone in the center lane of the road waving his hands.

“It was shocking,” said Jennifer Bush of West Carrollton. “He sort of jumped in front of my daughter’s car and she had to swerve to avoid hitting him.”

Her daughter said she did not get the impression he was seeking help and said she had to move into the right lane to avoid hitting him.

“That was the only way I was able to not hit him because I was able to swerve,” she said.

Miami Twp. police said it appeared Spearman was walking south when the southbound vehicle struck him in the 6600 block in front of Bishop Leibold school.

A woman who called 911 after Spearman was hit said she saw a body on the ground in front of a stopped vehicle.

“I don’t know if he was hit or whether the person was passed out,” the caller told police dispatchers. “I have no idea.

“Cars are going around and I can see in the headlights three people out standing outside in front of the car and they’re looking down at a body that is on the ground in front of the car.”

The accident occurred about a block south of the site of fatal crash during a high-speed Moraine police chase in September.

Mary Taulbee, a longtime Realtor from Lebanon, died after that Sept. 11 crash, during which her northbound car was propelled into the southbound lane after being hit by another vehicle. Taulbee’s car collided with a Moraine cruiser driven by Matt Barrie, who was pursuing a car theft suspect.

Alyssa Irwin-DeBraux, 18, of Dayton, has been indicted in that case and remains in the Montgomery County Jail.