Compiled from staff and wire reports

Batavia woman killed in hit and run

BATAVIA TOWNSHIP - A 45-year-old Batavia woman was killed late Friday after an eastbound car struck her as she was attempting to cross Front Wheel Drive, near the intersection with Curliss Lane, in Clermont County.

Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Batavia Post were looking Saturday for the dark-colored, small- to mid-size pickup or sport utility vehicle that fled the scene after hitting Donna J. Spangler at 10:45 p.m.

Spangler was transported by helicopter to University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Anyone with information is asked to call (513) 732-1510.

Florence woman injured in 2-car wreck

FLORENCE - A Florence woman was critically injured Friday and three others were treated and released from area hospitals after a two-car crash on Hopeful Church Road, near Surfwood Road.

Jamie H. Shinault, 23, was westbound on Surfwood when she attempted to turn into the southbound lanes of Hopeful Church Road and was struck by a northbound vehicle about 3:30 p.m., according to Florence Police.

Shinault was transported to University Hospital, where she was listed Saturday in critical condition. An unnamed juvenile passenger was not injured.

The other driver - Gordon Landrum, 72, of Erlanger - was transported to St. Luke Hospital West, Florence, where he was treated and released. His passenger, also an unnamed juvenile, was treated and released from St. Luke.

Wreck with 3 semis kills Dayton woman

BURLINGTON - A chain-reaction crash involving three tractor-trailers on Interstate 75 in Boone County killed a Dayton, Ohio, woman.

Inez Hill, 88, was flown to University Hospital Thursday afternoon. She was pronounced dead about four hours later.

Hill was in a car driven by another woman who tried to avoid tractor-trailers merging onto the highway and lost control of the vehicle, said Boone County Deputy Sheriff Steven Collinsworth.

The car was hit in the driver's side by one tractor-trailer and then in the rear by a second truck.

The first tractor-trailer that hit the car overturned, losing its load of four or five 6,000-pound steel bundles, Collinsworth said. As it was overturning, the truck also hit a third tractor-trailer.

No one else in the crash received medical treatment.

Next Level managers reopen nightclub

The Next Level, an Over-the-Rhine nightclub with a history of violent incidents, reopened Saturday night.

Landlord Steven Ross of Indianapolis boarded up the Sycamore Street nightclub Friday as a move to evict the club from the building at 12th and Sycamore streets.

Ross is president of Sycamore Gardens Real Estate LLC, which also owns the club's liquor license.

Calls to his residence and office were not returned Saturday and managers of the nightclub refused to comment on their reopening as they prepared Saturday afternoon for business.

The hip-hop nightclub is the only African-American-oriented venue in the Main Street entertainment district.

But police have complained that the nightclub is a magnet for illegal activity. Police responded to 12th and Sycamore streets 507 times in 2002. Almost 30 of those incidents were for shots fired.

Within the past week, City Council refused to revoke the Next Level's liquor license.