Bizarre Accident Leaves 83-Year-Old Woman In Critical Condition
By Tom Mustin
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4) - An 83-year-old woman has critical injuries after being run over by her own car.
"I thought maybe it was a hit-and-run, or something like a robbery," witness Arlene Hill said.
Hill is searching for answers after the bizarre accident in Thornton that left the woman in critical condition.
"There were about four cops that came toward 88th and Devonshire, coming up from the Walmart. and after, followed three ambulances," Hill told CBS4's Tom Mustin.
Around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Judith Warren, from Texas, pulled into the 7-Eleven parking lot alone on Devonshire boulevard. Surveillance video shows Warren's Chevy Impala start drifting into the street.
"We don't know if she was lost or what happened, but she's gets out of her car to retrieve something, possibly a map, and the vehicle started to roll back," said Trooper Nate Reid with the Colorado State Patrol.
Reid says it appears Warren left the car in neutral, on a slight incline. The car struck Warren, pushed her back several feet, then came to a stop after running over her.
"After it was done pushing her, one of the vehicle's tires rolled over her," said Reid.
Video shows flashing lights as police and first responders raced to the scene.
Reid doesn't know why Warren had come to Colorado. As for the crash, he says all signs point to a tragic accident, and another cruel lesson about driver safety and awareness. Hill agrees.
"That's sad because you just think, 'What if that was my mother or what if that was my grandmother,'" she said.
Warren is in critical condition at Denver Health Medical Center. A hospital spokesperson says Warren's relatives from Texas are on the way to Colorado to help with her recovery.
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.