Kelita Alfred dies in fatal West Jefferson SUV crash

Kelita Alfred dies in fatal West Jefferson SUV crash

Fatal West Jefferson SUV crash death of Kelita Alfred – Obituary

Kelita Alfred, 27, tragically lost her life along with a 3-year-old child after the SUV they were in plunged into a retention pond in West Jefferson, Ohio, on Thursday evening. The accident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. near the intersection of U.S. 40 and Park West Drive.

Witnesses reported seeing a 2016 Jeep Cherokee traveling westbound veer off the road and enter the retention pond. Inside the vehicle were three adults and two children. First responders, including West Jefferson police officers and a state trooper, quickly arrived and heroically rescued some occupants from the sinking vehicle.

The driver managed to get out on their own, and one adult along with a 5-year-old child were pulled from the water safely. Sadly, Alfred and the 3-year-old were found inside the submerged SUV and taken to a hospital in Columbus, where they were pronounced dead.

The other adults escaped injury, and the 5-year-old was treated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

West Jefferson Police Chief Brandon Smith praised the officers’ swift and courageous response, noting one officer was nearing the end of field training during the rescue. The cause of the crash remains under investigation as the community mourns this devastating loss.