MEDFORD, Ore. -- A woman was struck and killed by a golf cart shortly after hitting a tee shot, authorities said.

KING photo

Golf cart.

Charlotte "Sally" Stewart, 79, of Medford was at Quail Point Golf Course with a friend, 84-year-old Beryl Pope. The accident happened after Stewart's tee shot on the third hole. While crossing a paved lane to reach her golf ball, Stewart was hit by a cart driven by her playing partner, said Detective Sgt. Mike Budreau of the Medford Police Department.

The cart fell on Stewart, trapping her for five to seven minutes while Pope sought help, Budreau said. A groundskeeping crew rushed to free Stewart, but she was pronounced dead at Rogue Valley Medical Center.

Budreau said investigators think Pope might have accidentally hit the cart's accelerator instead of the brake. Budreau said he doesn't expect any charges to result from Tuesday's accident. Toxicology tests on the cart's driver were done as part of the standard protocol, he said.

Stewart lived at the Rogue Valley Manor retirement community for about a year. Pope resides there and golfed with Stewart regularly. Sarah Prewitt, the community's public relations director, said the director of pastoral services was helping the community deal with the death.

"It was just a horrible tragedy," Prewitt told the Mail-Tribune newspaper. "Our deepest sympathies go out to the friends and families."

An Oregon State Police accident reconstructionist helped investigate, Medford police Lt. Tim Doney said.

"This is the only golf cart accident fatality that I can think of," said Doney, who has been with Medford police for almost 20 years.