A woman was found dead in the street near a popular nature trail, six hours after her car allegedly hit a tree.
Mystery surrounds the incident after the woman's body was found by a dog walker on Saturday morning.
Police have launched an investigation and believe the woman was a passenger in the car.
Emergency services scrambled to the scene in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, shortly after 7.25am.
The woman was found close to the entrance of the Jinnie Nature Trail and pronounced dead at the scene
The area used to be a railway line and is now a rural walk.
A single bouquet of flowers has been left where the victim's body was found and her next of kin have been informed, supported by specially trained officers.
Resident Linda Wainwright, 57, told Staffordshire Live.: "One of my friends knew the woman. She said she was a genuinely lovely person, but that's all I've heard. It's awful news and I just pray for her family."
Graeme Collins, 61, who also lives locally, added: "It's extremely sad. It must be terrible for her family and I just hope it isn't anything suspicious as to why she passed."
A police cordon was put up at the junction where police and paramedics were joined by a forensics team who placed a tent around the body on the side of the road.
Detectives said a 19-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink driving.
The pair have since been released under conditional police bail.
After being closed on Saturday, the nature trail has reopened to the public.
Staffordshire Police have not released any information about the woman or the cause of her death.
The force confirmed that an abandoned Vauxhall Corsa was discovered after reports of a crash at 12.50am.
"We were called to Bitham Lane shortly after 7.25am following reports of a sudden death," a spokesperson said.
"Sadly, a woman was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service.
"Her next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers at this time."
A referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to the involvement of the force in connection with the initial road crash.
Police are appealing for anybody with information to come forward.
