Woman dragged under van on Hastings Street walked between the vehicle and its cargo trailer, police say
Family of 24-year-old woman says she requires facial reconstruction surgery after being hit and dragged
Vancouver police say their investigation has revealed that a woman who was dragged underneath a van on Hastings Street Oct. 12 had walked between the van and its cargo trailer.
Desiree Evancio, 24, was dragged several blocks down Hastings Street.
Investigators have said the driver didn't realize the woman had been trapped beneath his van until he pulled over and stopped several blocks later.
"We can confirm that new evidence indicates the victim walked between the van and the cargo trailer as it was stopped in traffic," said Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Aaron Roed.
Evancio was rushed to hospital and underwent four emergency operations to address her traumatic injuries, said Ashley Danh, her older sister.
Once Evancio is out of the intensive care unit, she'll require facial reconstruction surgery and years of rehabilitation to relearn how to walk and communicate, Danh told CBC News.
A man in his 30s from the U.S. was initially taken into custody but was released.
Police are examining whether impaired driving may have been a factor in the collision.
Roed said no conclusions have been reached in the investigation, and no charges have been laid.