An 83-year-old woman has died from her injuries five days after the driver of a car struck her and three other people in a parking lot in Annandale, Virginia.
The crash happed about 11 a.m. Friday in the 7200 block of Maple Place. Fairfax County police said at the time that one victim had life-threatening injuries.
In an update Wednesday, police said detectives have determined that the driver of the striking vehicle, a 2008 Nissan Sentra, was traveling on Maple Place when she dropped food and spilled a drink inside her car. As she tried to retrieve the dropped items, she lost control of the car, crossed the median and left the road, before driving over a sidewalk, according to police.
At that time, several people had gathered in a parking lot to discuss a community project when the car entered the lot, police said. Four of those people were hit before the vehicle crashed into a metal fence and came to a stop.
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Police said Eileen Garnett, of Annandale, was taken to a hospital in critical condition. She died Wednesday morning.
The other victims, two women and a man, were treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Both the driver and a passenger from the Sentra were also taken to a hospital for treatment.
Police said that preliminarily, neither speed nor alcohol appear to be factors in the crash. The investigation continues.
The sound of the crash could be heard on surveillance video from a nearby business. The video then shows the car coming into focus, heavily damaged, with its windshield smashed in.
Jennifer Lemus, who lives nearby, said the road can be very busy. "... We've never witnessed someone get run over or anything like that, but lots of cars speed," she said.
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Police said Friday that the crash did not appear to be intentional.
A crash reconstruction team documented the scene, taking photos and measurements. Car parts, clothing and even a hat were strewn in the parking lot. Chopper4 video showed a stopped sedan with both the driver's and passenger's side front doors left open.
"Of course it's dangerous here," said a man near the scene Friday. "They're driving crazy here."
The crash occurred in a busy area, with small businesses, traffic and pedestrians.
