Indonesian musician killed by car in GR

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A woman who stepped into the street to avoid sprinklers was hit and killed by an oncoming car Saturday night.

Witnesses told police Christina Mandang, 38, was walking on the sidewalk along Burton Street when some sprinklers turned on. The witnesses said Mandang stepped into the roadway to avoid getting wet and was hit by a Ford Focus around 10:20 p.m.

Mandang was taken to Spectrum Butterworth, but died from her injuries.

The driver of the vehicle, Kory Drake, 42, told police she was driving west on Burton Street near Conlon Avenue when she hit Mandang. Drake said she did not see Mandang before the crash.

Police say alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

An Indonesian church musician, Christina Mandang had been in Grand Rapids as a member of a team that led daily worship services for the Uniting General Council, according to a statement from the group.

The organist and pianist was a lecturer in church music and worship at Reformed Seminary in Jakarta, Indonesia.

According to the group, several other individuals from Indonesia were with Mandang at the time of the accident. Another member of the group, John FoEh, sustained a nonlife-threatening injury to his shoulder and arm.

“We feel deep sadness at this loss,” Setri Nyomi said in a statement this morning. “Christina Mandang’s gifts touched us all. She played organ at all the services. The joy with which she did that touched each of us.”

UGC delegates were scheduled to gather at the chapel on the Calvin College campus at 11:30 a.m. Sunday for a memorial service.

The Grand Rapids Police Department is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the crash and not talked to police to call Officer Scott Bylsma at (616) 456-3414 or Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.