Woman charged after senior struck, killed by modified vehicle in Nanaimo, B.C.

A woman has been charged with dangerous driving after her modified truck struck and killed an elderly woman in Nanaimo, B.C. (Courtesy: RCMP)

A woman has been charged with dangerous driving after an incident that saw an elderly woman hit and killed in a mall parking lot in Nanaimo, B.C.

The event unfolded March 21, when Jazmin Patenaude, now 24, was leaving the parking lot of Woodgrove Mall on the Island Highway.

The 85-year-old victim was walking towards the mall when she was knocked to the ground by Patenaude’s truck, according to a news release issued by Nanaimo RCMP Tuesday.

The elderly woman had parked her car next to Patenaude’s truck, exited it, and began walking at the same time Patenaude was leaving her parking stall, the release said.

Patenaude was charged with dangerous operation causing death.

Police said modifications made to Patenaude’s vehicle “contributed to the tragic outcome,” touching on how her charge was a particularly serious one.

“It signifies that the person operating a vehicle, considering all the circumstances, poses a significant danger to the public,” the RCMP’s statement said.

“In this case, the modifications to Ms. Patenaude’s truck, including suspension lifts, oversized tires, and tinted windows, made driving in a crowded parking lot at a busy mall unsafe.”