ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, OH — A late-night crash in Anderson Township left one woman dead and two other people seriously injured after deputies say a left turn onto U.S. 52 did not yield to oncoming traffic.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said the collision happened Saturday night after 10 p.m. near U.S. 52 and 8 Mile. Deputies said a 2025 Honda CR-V was turning left from 8 Mile onto U.S. 52 when it was struck on the driver’s side by a westbound 2012 Kia.
The driver of the Honda, identified as Donita Bessent, was taken to UC Hospital and later died. The two people in the Kia were also hospitalized with serious injuries.
Deputies say the Honda turned left into the path of the Kia
According to the sheriff’s office, Bessent was behind the wheel of the Honda CR-V and was making the turn from 8 Mile onto U.S. 52 when the crash occurred. The impact was on the driver’s side of the Honda, indicating the westbound Kia hit the SUV as it crossed or entered the roadway.
Investigators identified the Kia driver as 39-year-old Jerry Ncelhamey. His wife, Stacy, was riding as a passenger. Both were hurt seriously enough to require hospitalization.
Officials have not released further details about the exact sequence of events beyond the turn and the impact point, but the sheriff’s office said the left turn did not yield to the westbound vehicle.
Crash response centered on the U.S. 52 and 8 Mile intersection
Officers responded to the scene in the Anderson Township area after 10 p.m., a stretch of roadway that carries local and through traffic in eastern Hamilton County. The crash scene was near one of the more recognizable roadway connections in the township, where 8 Mile meets U.S. 52.
Because the collision happened at night, investigators were working in darkness when they arrived. The sheriff’s office did not say how long the roadway remained affected or whether any lane closures were needed while the scene was cleared.
Even so, the location and timing help explain why deputies were called quickly to manage the crash and begin sorting out how the vehicles came together. The investigation remained in the hands of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s office says speed and impairment were not factors
In its initial assessment, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said neither speed nor impairment appeared to contribute to the crash. That finding matters because investigators often consider both issues early in serious collisions.
By ruling those factors out at the scene, deputies pointed instead to the turn itself as the likely cause of the wreck. The sheriff’s office did not say whether any citations had been issued or whether additional reconstruction work would be done.
The lack of apparent speed or impairment concerns also narrows the focus of the case to roadway judgment and right-of-way. For investigators, that can make witness statements, vehicle positions and physical evidence especially important.
Victim and hospitalized drivers identified by investigators
Deputies identified the woman who died as Donita Bessent, the driver of the Honda CR-V. She was first taken to UC Hospital after the crash, where she later died from her injuries.
The sheriff’s office also named the Kia driver as Jerry Ncelhamey, 39, and said his passenger was his wife, Stacy. Both were reported to have serious injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
No additional information was released about their conditions beyond the seriousness of the injuries. The sheriff’s office did not immediately provide ages for Stacy or say whether the people in the Kia were from the Anderson Township area.
Investigation continues after deadly weekend collision
The fatal wreck adds to the toll of a crash that could have been avoided if the left turn had yielded, according to deputies. With one death and two serious injuries, the incident is now a homicide investigation in practical terms only if further facts warrant it, but officials have not described it that way.
For now, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is treating it as a serious traffic fatality investigation tied to a failure to yield. That means the roadway layout, vehicle movement and timing will remain central to the case.
As of the latest information from deputies, the key facts are clear: a left turn at U.S. 52 and 8 Mile ended in a deadly side-impact crash, and investigators say speed and impairment do not appear to have played a role.
