Springfield Woman Killed After Tree Falls on Vehicle During Sunday Storm
Tragedy struck Sunday afternoon when 20-year-old Paige Benitez lost her life after a large tree, brought down by high winds, fell onto her vehicle.
According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Benitez was driving a 2017 Honda CRV on Meadowlark Drive around 4:50 p.m. on June 29, less than a mile southwest of Springfield. The incident occurred near West Republic Road, just south of Highway 60.
Benitez was pronounced dead at the scene by the medical examiner. Authorities confirmed that her next of kin have been notified.
The deadly incident was part of a severe storm system that swept through the Springfield area Sunday afternoon, bringing half-inch hail, damaging winds, and widespread power outages. The National Weather Service in Springfield recorded wind speeds of 63 mph at 5:36 p.m., with some parts of the city likely experiencing gusts up to 80 mph, according to Tom Olsen, Observation Program Leader with the NWS.
As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, City Utilities of Springfield reported that more than 10,000 customers were still without power—down from a peak of 37,000 outages at the height of the storm. Crews worked through the night, and officials estimate full restoration of service by Thursday.