On May 9, 2012, at approximately 3:28 p.m., Champaign police officers responded to a motor vehicle versus pedestrian accident in the parking lot of Market Place Mall.
At the scene, officers encountered an injured woman, Eugenia M. Crites, 64, of Rantoul, lying in the mall’s parking lot. A 13 year-old teen, the driver of the victim’s vehicle at the time of the accident, was being comforted by bystanders at the scene.
Police received information that Crites allowed her grandson to move the vehicle back into the parking space after realizing that she had not parked properly. When Crites directed the teen to stop, he inadvertently pressed on the gas and struck Crites with the car. The 2003 Nissan Altima then continued to travel in reverse and struck two unoccupied parked vehicles; a 2001 Dodge Neon and a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu.
Crites was transported to Carle Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 3:54 PM. The teen was not physically injured during the accident.
No citations have been issued at this time.