A Tennessee woman has died of her injuries following a freak accident that left her pinned between two cars.
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The Murfreesboro Police Department has been sharing the case of the awful accident on their Facebook page. In a statement, they said on December 23 "A freak accident in the parking lot of Longhorn Steak House at The Avenue Mall has left a woman critically injured."
The woman was identified in
a later statement as Cathy Pendergrass, 61.Pendergrass was assisting a man who had recently suffered a stroke in his car, a Honda CRV. The SUV had been modified into a mail carrier vehicle, meaning it had an accelerator and brake pedal installed on the passenger's side.
"The preliminary investigation shows a woman in the driver's seat had initially reversed out of a parking space to allow a man in a wheelchair to enter the vehicle," the department explained. Pendergrass was outside the vehicle, assisting the man into his seat.
Police then described how the man accidentally hit the accelerator as he was getting into his car. This caused the car to "reverse and spin out of control." That's when the car crashed into Pendergrass and pinned her against another vehicle.
Harrowingly, the car continued to reverse, striking another two parked cars and critically injuring Pendergrass.
Police arrived at the scene after a 911 call just before 3 pm, where they began to administer medical care and attend to the situation.
Woman Pinned Between Two Cars Taken To Hospital, But Dies Of Her Wounds
Pendergrass was taken to "St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital and later taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she is in critical condition."
Despite her grievous injuries, the man and other woman were not hurt.
Pendergrass passed away at the Vanderbilt Medical Center on December 28, a week after the incident. It's not disclosed exactly what she died from; police simply said she "died from her injuries."
Police say that the incident is still under investigation by the Fatal Accident Crash Team.
I hope Pendergrass' family and those involved in the freak accident can overcome the incredible grief thrust upon them.
