An 80-year-old woman crashed her car into a brick pillar near her Edina home over the weekend and was killed, authorities said Tuesday.

The wreck occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. Sunday on westbound Vernon Avenue, just west of Interlachen Boulevard, police said.

Sally Helmerichs died about an hour later at Hennepin County Medical Center, according to the county medical examiner's office. She lived at the Grandview Square condominiums, about a half-mile southwest of the busy retail intersection.

No other vehicles were involved, and Helmerichs was alone in her car when it left the road and hit the pillar, police said.

Authorities were investigating why she lost control of her car.

Paul Walsh