On a quiet stretch of Goddard Street just west of Switzer Road, 68-year-old Janet Dam set out on what was likely her regular early-morning walk. But shortly after 3:29 a.m. Tuesday, that routine turned devastating when a vehicle traveling eastbound struck a parked car on Goddard, veered off course and hit her before crashing into a tree.
Emergency crews from the Overland Park Police Department arrived at the scene to find Ms. Dam pronounced dead on arrival. The driver of the car was treated at a local hospital for injuries sustained in the incident.
According to investigators, the car’s eastbound path on Goddard first led to the collision with the parked vehicle on the westbound side of the road. Then, the vehicle continued onward, struck Ms. Dam walking along the edge of the roadway, and finally collided with a tree.
Authorities say that Ms. Dam was a longtime resident of Overland Park and was known in the neighborhood to walk early in the morning hours. Her death has left a quiet community grappling with the sudden loss of someone they had come to recognize in the morning stillness.
The investigation into what caused the vehicle to leave its lane, strike the parked car, then Ms. Dam, is ongoing. The police have not yet publicized details on whether speed, impairment, or other factors contributed. The Traffic Unit of the Overland Park Police Department is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has dash-cam, surveillance, or other information to contact them at 913-327-6731.
In the wake of the incident, several neighbors spoke of seeing Ms. Dam walking in the early hours, enjoying the quiet of the dawn. The tragedy has prompted calls for renewed attention to pedestrian safety, lighting, and traffic awareness in the area—and a reminder of how swiftly routine can be altered.
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