Jan 12, 2009 - 05:18 PM

By Jeff Mitchell

OSHAWA -- Neighbours and passersby worked frantically -- and, ultimately, in vain -- to save an elderly woman trapped under her car at her north Oshawa home Sunday.

The 87-year-old woman, whose name was being withheld by police, died of her injuries after being rushed to hospital. That's despite the efforts of several people who freed the woman from beneath the car and attempted to perform CPR, said Durham police Detective Constable David Cormack.

"Everybody did their best to try and save this lady," he said. "It's just a very tragic accident."

Police were called to the scene, on Winchester Road between Harmony Road and Grandview Street, about 5 p.m. after the accident was discovered by neighbours, Det.-Const. Cormack said. It appears the woman had loaded recycling boxes in the trunk of her Buick to transport them down the lengthy driveway at the home she shared with her husband.

It was when the woman reached the end of the driveway the mishap occurred, he said.

"At some point after getting out of her vehicle the vehicle started to roll back and she got caught up in the driver's-side door," Det.-Const. Cormack said.

It appears the woman grabbed the open door and was dragged but lost her grip and fell, Det.-Const. Cormack said. The Buick continued in reverse and the woman became trapped under the front end of the vehicle.

Neighbours noticing something amiss converged on the scene. The car was lifted with a jack and the woman freed, police said.

The victim was rushed by ambulance to hospital. She was transferred to intensive care in Toronto but succumbed to her injuries.

The road was closed for several hours as police investigated the incident.