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A Sandy woman out for a run in the early morning darkness died Wednesday after being hit by a car.
Renee Fleckenstein, 62, of Sandy, was jogging through a crosswalk at the intersection of 1000 East and 11400 South about 6:30 a.m. when a small Honda sport utility vehicle hit her, said Sandy police Sgt. Justin Chapman.
The driver, a 36-year-old Sandy woman, was turning and told police she didn't see Fleckenstein in the dark. The impact threw Fleckenstein 30 feet, causing "massive head trauma," and she was flown to University Hospital, said Sandy police Lt. Victor Quezada. Officers are investigating the accident, and citations are possible.
Fleckenstein was married and had several adult daughters and grandchildren, said neighbor Ann Kiser.
"She was a great neighbor, a really nice lady" she said. " Family was everything to her."
Kiser said Fleckenstein began training a few months ago to run in the St. George Marathon in October. She planned to run it with one of her daughters.
"She was just, every morning, running by herself," Kiser said.
The news of Fleckenstein's death Wednesday shocked her Sandy neighborhood where she had lived for 10 to 15 years, Kiser said.
"We'll miss her, that's for sure," she said.
Fleckenstein wasn't carrying identification, but police were able to locate her husband, Thomas Fleckenstein.
The accident underlines the need to always carry some sort of identification, said Sandy police Sgt. Justin Chapman. "From a medical standpoint ... it can make a significant difference in how they're able to care for you," he said.
A patient history card can speed up response and help doctors avoid harmful drug interactions and accommodate allergies and medical conditions, said Niki Yeaton, nurse coordinator for University Hospital's emergency department. Yeaton recommends carrying a card with all current medications, allergies, current and past conditions and contacts for primary physicians.
Police do not know who was at fault in the collision; there are no witnesses. Also, investigators do not know whether the traffic lights protected Fleckenstein or the driver at the time of the collision.
Regardless, Chapman said, early-morning joggers should take extra care to run defensively: Wear reflective clothing and keep an eye on traffic, especially when running with headphones on. Fleckenstein was carrying an iPod when she was hit.
Tribune reporter Jason Bergreen contributed to this story.
