Charges have been laid nearly a year after a senior died following an incident in a north Nanaimo mall parking lot.
According to an RCMP press release, 24-year-old Jazmin Patenaude of Nanaimo has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing the death of an 85-year-old woman in the parking lot of Woodgrove Centre on March 21.
Police say the victim had parked her car and was walking toward the mall when the incident occurred. A pickup driver exited her parking stall, turned left, and struck the victim, knocking her to the ground.
"The charge of dangerous operation causing death is a serious one," the press release noted. "It signifies that the person operating a vehicle, considering all the circumstances, poses a significant danger to the public.
"In this case, the modifications to [the pickup], including suspension lifts, oversized tires, and tinted windows, made driving in a crowded parking lot at a busy mall unsafe. These modifications, which were not part of the original design of the truck, contributed to the tragic outcome."
Patenaude's first court appearance at is scheduled for March 11.
