SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Springfield woman is dead after she was hit by a motorcycle on April 29.

A press release from the Springfield Police Department states that Sandra Brown, 59, was walking east across Fremont Avenue when a southbound motorcycle hit her and fled the scene.

Brown was pronounced dead on the scene and her family has been notified.

The suspect was identified as 56-year-old Rodney Shires of Springfield. He was charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident.

According to the probable cause statement, one witness said the motorcycle did not have headlights on. Another witness said they followed the motorcyclist, who was now on foot, heading eastbound on Seminole.

The officer on the scene found several debit cards and ID cards that belonged to someone other than Brown. While searching through the Department of Revenue’s records, the officer was able to match the description of the suspect that left the scene with the owner of the ID cards, Rodney Shires.

Officers found Shires at his residence and arrested him.

Shires told the police that he saw a body on the ground before hitting it and then a truck behind him also hit it. He explained that his motorcycle flipped over and broke his hand. Shires said he “freaked out” and went home.

Shires was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and then booked into the Greene County Jail.

A driver conviction history check revealed Shires had no valid operator’s status out of Missouri and he was suspended out of Arkansas. He had ten driving while revoked or suspended convictions out of Arkansas.

This is Springfield’s 13th traffic fatality in 2023.