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May 5, 2011 (La Mesa) – Heidi Durfey, 24, has died after her sports utility vehicle (SUV) with her three young children inside rolled backward 60 feet and ran over her. The tragedy occurerd on the driveway of her home in the 8700 block of Glenira Avene in La Mesa around 9:20 a.m.
She became caught under the SUV as it rolled and was dragged beneath the vehicle. “It came to rest in the street with the front end of the vehicle on top of the victim’s head and chest,” said Sonny Saghera with Heartland Fire & Rescue.
La Mesa Firefighters from Heartland arrived within five minutes and requested a “rescue” response including an additional fire engine, fire truck and battalion chief. Firefighters, with help from a neighbor, were successful in lifting the car and freeing the young mother, who suffered head, chest and abdomen injuries. She was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital by hospital in acute status but died a short time later of her injuries.
Three small children, ages 4, 2, and 6 months, were in the backseat and wore seatbelts, Saghera said. It is unknown why the SUV began to roll, or whether the woman may have been dragged beneath the vehicle while trying to stop it, he added. The vehicle stopped after striking a neighbor's car. None of the children were injured.
The victim's four-year-old daughter ran to a neighbor's for help after the accident, La Mesa Patch reported.
La Mesa Police Department is investigating the cause of the accident.
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