A 56-year-old woman, who suffered life-threatening injuries after being hit at a marked pedestrian crosswalk Monday afternoon, is recovering at Victoria General Hospital.
According to police, the incident took place at 12:50 p.m., at the intersection of Pine Street and Bruce Avenue. The driver, a 25-year-old woman from Nanaimo, remained at the scene and is co-operating with police, said Const. Gary O'Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, in a press release.
The victim was airlifted to the hospital in Victoria.
Stewart Fee, the woman's brother-in-law, offered an update Thursday on the woman, who is still in intensive care in Victoria.
"She's conscious," Fee said. "The brain bleed has stopped, thank goodness, because that was the seriousness of it all. She knew who we were, but right now she's not able to walk."
Fee said he has had a number of queries from people who know his sister-in-law and wanted to let people know her condition has improved.
Fee said his sister-in-law, depending on her progress, will hopefully be transferred up to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital next week where she can eventually start rehabilitation work to recover her ability to walk.
“Preliminary investigation has determined the female driver was stopped at the stop sign and after checking for northbound traffic, continued through the intersection, striking the victim in the crosswalk, causing the victim to fall and strike her head on the pavement,” O'Brien said.
Speed and alcohol have been ruled out as factors, O'Brien said.
The investigation is ongoing.