DeKalb woman dies when car hits pole

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WATERMAN – An 85-year-old DeKalb woman died Friday morning when her car ran out of control into a utility pole; police said it appeared an existing medical problem had played a role in the crash.

Bonnie Besenfelder, who lived on Cobblestone Trail in DeKalb, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

DeKalb County sheriff's police said witnesses called just before 10 a.m. with reports of a Ford Focus speeding south on Route 23 in the wrong lane. Witnesses told police the car had traveled through the intersection of Routes 23 and 30 and hit a utility pole.

The Focus caught fire after it hit the utility pole; rescuers were unable to remove Besenfelder from the car while the car was on fire.

"All indications in this investigation are pointing toward a pre-existing medical condition," Sheriff's Lt. Kevin Hickey said. "All the calls we had into this office would indicate she was having some sort of medical episode prior to the accident."

Information about services for Besenfelder was not avaialble Friday evening.