Charges have been laid nearly a year after a senior died following an incident in a north Nanaimo mall parking lot. 

According to an RCMP press release, 24-year-old Jazmin Patenaude of Nanaimo has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing the death of an 85-year-old woman in the parking lot of Woodgrove Centre on March 21.

Police say the victim had parked her car and was walking toward the mall when the incident occurred. A pickup driver exited her parking stall, turned left, and struck the victim, knocking her to the ground.

"The charge of dangerous operation causing death is a serious one," the press release noted. "It signifies that the person operating a vehicle, considering all the circumstances, poses a significant danger to the public.

"In this case, the modifications to [the pickup], including suspension lifts, oversized tires, and tinted windows, made driving in a crowded parking lot at a busy mall unsafe. These modifications, which were not part of the original design of the truck, contributed to the tragic outcome."