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Driver charged after SUV crashes into west Edmonton KFC, critically injuring senior

Click to play video: 'Charge laid after elderly woman struck by vehicle in west Edmonton'
Charge laid after elderly woman struck by vehicle in west Edmonton
WATCH ABOVE: A 60-year-old woman has been charged with aggravated assault after an 85-year-old woman was struck by an SUV outside a west Edmonton KFC.Sarah Kraus has the details. WARNING: DISTURBING VIDEO – Jul 19, 2018

A 60-year-old woman has been charged with aggravated assault in connection with a collision in Edmonton where an SUV crashed into a restaurant, sending an elderly woman to hospital, fighting for her life.

Emergency crews were called to the fast food restaurant in the west end at about 6:20 p.m.

Firefighters were seen shortly before 7 p.m. at a KFC near the Meadowlark Shopping Centre in the area of 156 Street and 87 Avenue.

The dramatic crash was caught on surveillance video, which shows an SUV driving onto the sidewalk in front of the fast food restaurant, hitting a pedestrian. The video then shows the SUV back up, stop for a moment and then drive forward again, plowing through the front window of the business.

Passersby look on and others rushed to help the woman. The video then shows emergency crews arrive on scene, put the woman on a stretcher and load her into an ambulance.

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Police at the scene did not say what happened or why the driver was arrested but confirmed an 85-year-old woman sustained life-threatening injuries in connection with the incident. They said she was on the sidewalk when the SUV hit her.

“Upon arrival, EPS (Edmonton Police Service) members found an elderly female pedestrian lying on the ground in front of a restaurant in serious medical distress,” police said in a news release issued late Wednesday night.

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“It was reported to police, that a 2007 Toyota Rav 4 SUV allegedly struck the female complainant [and] then drove through the front wall of the business before the vehicle came to a stop inside the front lobby of the business.”

Charges were laid against the woman driving the SUV, police said Thursday.

They allege Donna Elder, 60, intentionally drove a 2007 Toyota Rav SUV into the older woman.

Police said the two women know each other but did not elaborate further on their relationship.

Court documents identify the victim as Katherine Triplett.

The victim remains in hospital in critical condition, police said.

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Elder will remain in custody until her next court appearance on July 23.

Watch below: On July 20, 2018, Sarah Kraus filed this report with new details about an incident that saw a woman be hit by an SUV that then crashed into a fast food restaurant in west Edmonton this week. WARNING: This video contains disturbing images.

Click to play video: 'More details emerge in case of woman run over by west Edmonton restaurant'
More details emerge in case of woman run over by west Edmonton restaurant

On Thursday, the front window of the KFC was boarded up. A sign on the door said the indoor restaurant was closed but that the drive-thru remained open.

Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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An SUV crashed into a west Edmonton KFC on Wednesday. Eric Beck/ Global News

Watch below: Police are investigating after an SUV crashed into a KFC location in west Edmonton on Wednesday evening. 

Click to play video: 'SUV crashes into west Edmonton KFC'
SUV crashes into west Edmonton KFC

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