Woman, 61, dies from injuries after being hit by truck in downtown Olympia

A woman who was struck by a pickup truck last week in downtown Olympia has died, and the driver of the truck will be charged with vehicular homicide.

The woman has been identified as 61-year-old Maria “Dancing Heart” Hoaglund. She died Friday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle from multiple blunt force injuries, according to the King County Medical Examiner. Her death was ruled an accident.

Shelton resident Jared Grant Dishon, 19, was arrested and initially charged with two counts of vehicular assault. He will be arraigned May 3, and one of the charges will be changed to vehicular homicide, according to the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office.

The collision took place about 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Fourth Avenue and Columbia Street. Hoaglund and a man were hit in the crosswalk by Dishon’s Ford F250 truck as he turned left onto Columbia Street. The man suffered broken ribs and a hip fracture, according to documents.

After striking the couple, Dishon backed over them. Dishon told police he did not see the couple because he was “looking back” during the turn, but looked forward in time to see the man grab Hoaglund in a hug and turn his back to the truck to protect her. Police determined that Dishon was under the influence of medication and marijuana, according to court documents.

Hoaglund worked as a hospice and spiritual counselor, according to her website. She was born and raised in Japan as the daughter of Lutheran missionaries. She worked in parish ministry in Hawaii and eventually became a bereavement coordinator in the Puget Sound area. A Facebook page lists her city of residence as Shelton.

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 8:22 AM with the headline "Woman, 61, dies from injuries after being hit by truck in downtown Olympia."