Police said the accused driver stole a car at Riverside Hospital before entering the highway in the wrong direction.
COLUMBUS, OH — A Columbus assistant city prosecutor was killed Monday night after police said an injured woman stole a car from Riverside Hospital, drove the wrong way on State Route 315 and crashed head-on near King Avenue.
Kaitlyn Marie Spahr, a prosecutor and senior attorney in the Columbus City Attorney’s Office, died after the crash, which also left her coworker seriously injured and led to felony charges against Xiaoke Fan, according to police and court records. The case moved quickly from a reported vehicle theft at a hospital to a fatal highway investigation involving robbery, vehicular homicide and questions about what happened in the minutes before the collision.
The chain of events began late Monday when a woman saw Fan injured and in need of help, according to Franklin County court records. The woman drove Fan to Riverside Hospital, a major medical center near State Route 315 on the city’s northwest side. Court records say Fan then pulled a large rock from her pocket and threatened to strike and kill the woman who had brought her to the hospital. Police said Fan then took the woman’s vehicle and left the hospital area. Investigators said she entered State Route 315 southbound while driving in the northbound lanes. The stolen vehicle later crashed head-on near King Avenue, a busy interchange that connects the highway with neighborhoods, Ohio State University medical facilities and central Columbus. The crash was reported as a two-vehicle wreck with several people hurt.
Spahr was riding as a passenger in the other car, police said. She was taken to Ohio State University Hospital in critical condition and died a short time later. Officials identified the driver of that car as Soogie Choi, another attorney in the Columbus City Attorney’s Office. Choi worked on the office’s Property Action Team, which handles legal work tied to problem properties and neighborhood conditions. She was taken to Ohio State University Hospital with severe injuries, including numerous broken bones, officials said. Fan also was hospitalized after the crash. Police said Tuesday that Fan was in critical but stable condition. Authorities did not immediately release a full list of all injured people or a detailed medical update for others involved in the crash.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said the office suffered a major loss with Spahr’s death. Klein said Spahr was a dedicated public servant who had worked in the office for several years and cared about her coworkers and the residents she served. “Columbus is better for people like Kaitlyn who make a difference in the work they do each day,” Klein said. He also described Choi as an important member of the Property Action Team and said she centered residents’ needs in her work. The crash shook a city legal office that handles criminal prosecution, civil enforcement and neighborhood cases. Spahr’s death also brought attention to the brief timeline between the alleged hospital threat, the stolen car and the wrong-way crash.
Fan was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated robbery and vehicular assault, according to police and court records. The aggravated robbery charge stems from the allegation that she threatened the woman who helped her and then took the vehicle. The aggravated vehicular homicide charge is tied to Spahr’s death. The vehicular assault charge is tied to injuries in the crash. Court records described the rock as part of the alleged threat, but authorities did not immediately say whether investigators recovered it or whether the stolen vehicle was examined for additional evidence. It was also not immediately clear whether Fan had an attorney, when she would make her first court appearance or whether prosecutors would seek more charges after reviewing medical records and crash reconstruction findings.
The crash closed part of State Route 315 near King Avenue as police, medics and investigators worked at the scene. That stretch of highway runs along the Olentangy River and serves as a major north-south route through Columbus, linking hospital campuses, Ohio State University, downtown and nearby neighborhoods. Wrong-way crashes are often investigated through roadway evidence, vehicle damage, witness accounts, 911 calls and any available traffic or surveillance cameras. In this case, investigators are also reviewing the alleged theft at Riverside Hospital and the route the stolen vehicle took before the crash. Police have not said how long Fan drove in the wrong direction or where she entered the highway. Those details remained part of the investigation Tuesday.
Friends and coworkers remembered Spahr as both a lawyer and a teammate. Ali Farunia, who knew Spahr through the Columbus Lesbian and Gay Softball Association, told a local station that Spahr’s professional standards carried into her personal life. Farunia said Spahr was “one of the most beautiful and genuinely kind souls you could ever meet.” Klein said his thoughts were with Spahr’s family and all who loved her. He also said he was praying for Choi’s recovery. The city attorney’s office did not immediately announce memorial plans or changes to office operations. The loss came during an ordinary workweek for an office whose attorneys appear in court, handle public safety cases and work with city departments.
The case remained active Wednesday as police continued to investigate the crash and court records listed felony charges against Fan. The next key steps are expected to include Fan’s initial court proceedings, further medical updates and additional findings from the crash investigation.
Author note: Last updated Wednesday, May 6, 2026.