Woman sleeping by road under blankets and cardboard hit by truck, dies

A woman died Tuesday after a city wastewater truck ran over her while she was sleeping on the side of the road.

Spokane police said in a news release that the truck hit her at about 7 a.m. at South Lewis Street and South Geiger Boulevard on the West Plains.

She was identified as 53-year-old Stephanie Meier by the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. She also was known as Stephanie Bender.

Police said in a news release that the truck ran over a pile of debris located in the driveway of a construction site on the shoulder of the road.

Meier was sleeping in the pile of blankets, clothing and cardboard and was hit by the truck. She was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and died late Tuesday morning.

Meier died of blunt impact injuries, including a lacerated liver, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“We were very saddened to learn that the woman involved in an accident with a City vehicle today has passed away,” Spokane Mayor David Condon said in a news release. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the woman’s family and friends during this time.”

The driver of the city vehicle has been placed on paid administrative leave, following city policy.

City crews were at that location working to fix a localized flooding issue, the city said in a news release. Police were continuing to investigate.