According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, the vehicle involved in a fatal pedestrian accident in a parking lot at Chapel Hills Mall was unoccupied.  Originally, police were investigating the accident as a hit-and-run.

The accident occurred last week when an SUV hit two people outside of Dillard’s.  The two victims were taken to a nearby hospital where one — an 82-year old woman — later passed away.

Further investigations into the accident have led police to believe the vehicle was a runaway, possibly with a mechanical defect.

Sgt. Darrin Abbink stated, “Usually when we see this, we do not see somebody getting killed.  We usually see a car that rolls back and hits a pole, a mailbox, or another car and causes some denting.”

Officials are currently unsure of how fast the possibly defective vehicle was traveling when the accident happened.

Our utmost sympathies go out to the victim’s family after this tragic accident.