Elyria woman charged in deadly crash

An Elyria woman is facing felony charges connected to a deadly crash nearly a year ago.

Kristi L. Fitch, 41, was taken into custody Aug. 2 on a secret indictment through Lorain County Common Pleas Court on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and a single count of OVI in connection to the Aug. 28, 2017, crash at the intersection of West Avenue and Third Street in Elyria.

Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will said Fitch was being held at the Lorain County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Fitch’s charges stem from the crash that took the life of 58-year-old Vicki L. Hill of Elyria, Will said.

Hill died at the scene of the crash after Fitch drove her 2003 Buick Century into the rear of Hill’s 2007 Jeep Liberty that was stopped at the intersection, he said.

According to a news release at the time of the crash, attempts to rescue Hill were impeded because the Jeep was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and attempts to extinguish the blaze were unsuccessful.

Fitch also was injured in the crash and only was located when officers were able to hear her yell for help.

They were able to remove her before her own vehicle burst into flames, the release said.

Fitch was flown by medical helicopter to Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland in serious condition and was cited for the OVI, the release said.

Fitch had been charged with OVI, but the charged was dropped Aug. 30 due to a request from the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office citing the need for more investigation.

Fitch will be arraigned Aug. 9 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.

Fitch