Police have identified the 26-year-old woman killed when her car struck a tree on Lewiston Avenue Sunday night as Richmond resident Delany K. Sowle.

Sowle, of 9 Denise Drive, suffered fatal injuries around 8:20 p.m., according to Richmond Police Chief Elwood M. Johnson Jr., after her 2008 Toyota Scion struck a tree in the area of 58 Lewiston Ave. and became trapped inside. Police said the accident was witnessed by a neighboring property owner who called officers immediately following the collision.

"She was found unresponsive and unconcious," Johnson said in a press release. "The first responding officers worked with neighbors to try and get her free from the heavily damaged vehicle. Neighbors actually used personal fire extinguishers to to douse a small fire that ignited in the engine compartment."

Johnson said the fire remained contained, thanks to the neighbor's alert response, and never reached the operator. Sowle was extricated from the car by members of the Carolina Fire Department and taken by the Hope Valley Ambulance Corps to South County Hospital in Wakefield.

Sowle was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the hospital, police said.

"The Richmond Police Department is grateful to the civilians who acted immediately and valiantly to render aid to the victim," Johnson said.

An initial investigation found that Sowle had been traveling north on Lewiston Avenue and had just successfully negotiated a curve when she began to drift off of the northbound shoulder of the road. She struck a mailbox, according to the police report, before proceeding head-on into the tree.

The section of road where the crash occurred is described as narrow and winding, with trees lining both sides of the road. Johnson said speed was an apparent facotr in the crash, which caused heavy front end damage to the Scion and left debris scattered as far as 100 feet from the point of impact.

"Officers saw no evidence that the operator applied he brakes before leaving the roadway and colliding with the tree," Johnson said.

Johnson said the Richmond Police Department is continuing their investigation. The exact cause of death and potential causes of the crash are pending completion of an autposy, police said.