ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A woman died early Wednesday morning after she was run over by her own car, according to St. Petersburg Police.

  • Incident occurred at Villas of Carillon community
  • Yong Sue O'Donnell, 47, a nurse at St. Anthony's Hospital
  • Investigation into accident still ongoing
  • More Pinellas County stories

The incident occurred in the Villas of Carillon community. Investigators say Yong Sue O'Donnell, 47, turned her vehicle off without putting the gear in "park."

As she got out of the car, it began to roll backwards, knocking her to the ground.  Due to the position of the steering wheel, the car turned and ran over O'Donnell, killing her.

One neighbor said he saw O’Donnell’s car drive past his surveillance cameras after about 3 a.m. Police said a security guard found her body around 4:37 a.m.

Area resident Ray Jackson said the details of the incident and O'Donnell's death are hard to comprehend.

“For something to happen when the car’s going so slow, it’s just ... I just couldn’t imagine," he told us. "It’s probably one of those one-in-a-million freak accidents for it to happen like that."

O'Donnell worked as a registered nurse at St. Anthony’s hospital. Neighbors left flowers, along with candles and a message of faith, on O’Donnell’s driveway where she died. 

Neighbor Tim Eidel made a flower arrangement as soon as he learned the news. He told us he wanted O’Donnell’s family to know they did not have to grieve alone.

“I don’t know the woman. I don’t know her from anybody," Eidel explained. "But somebody lost their mom. Somebody lost their wife, you know. And you just want those people down there that are going through such a really bad time to know that we don’t know you, but we know you, and we feel for you."

The investigation into the accident is still ongoing.