Outdoor Diner Loses Legs After SUV Careens Into Table At LA Restaurant: Reports

LOS ANGELES — An 81-year-old woman lost both of her legs earlier this summer after an SUV careened into her table while she and her daughter were dining outdoors at a Los Angeles restaurant, according to reports.

Cristina and Gabriela Vargas were at Los Cinco Puntos in Boyle Heights when the crash occurred, leaving Gabriela with a head injury and knee laceration and Cristina with serious head and body trauma, resulting in three surgeries and a double leg amputation, according to a GoFundMe started by family friend Yolie Ascencio.

“Cristina, now in her 80s, has always been a vibrant and social person with a true lust for life,” Ascencio wrote in the GoFundMe, created to help the family with medical bills and living expenses.

“She loved to dance and was a regular at events at the senior center, bringing joy and energy wherever she went. Her vivacious spirit and love for connecting with others made her a beloved member of the community. This sudden change is especially heartbreaking for someone who has always embraced life so fully and actively.”

The crash happened around 3 p.m. July 7 in the area of Lorena Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue, according to KABC, which published surveillance footage showing the vehicle suddenly driving onto the sidewalk and striking diners.

“I remember I just heard screeching and I was lifting up my head and I just saw headlights and a bumper and I heard a big boom,” Gabriela told KTLA. “The next thing I knew, I was airborne.”

The driver was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, KTLA reported.