Deer Rams Woman in Ellisville Lot

Editor's Note: This article was last updated at 4:17 p.m.

A woman from Ballwin was listed in critical condition Wednesday after she was hit by a deer in an Ellisville parking lot, emergency personnel said.

The incident happened around 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, when members contacted Ellisville police and said someone was injured by a deer in the parking lot of .

The victim, identified as Linda Gebhardt, 53, of Ballwin, was "standing at the Arvin parking lot when a running deer physically ran into her and knocked her down," Ellisville Police Sgt. Nancy Walker said. "This caused her to hit her head on the pavement and (she) was temporarily knocked unconscious."

Emergency personnel said Gebhardt was accompanied at the time by two adult-aged daughters, one of whom rode in an ambulance with her to Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur.

Lisa Wendt, the victim’s sister, said in an email to prayer group members that Gebhardt was conscious for most of the ambulance ride.

“Right now she is in the ICU at St. Johns (Mercy Medical Center) and the family is waiting,” Wendt said in the email. “The surgeon said that with brain damage like this you really don't know much for a while."

Wendt said the three women encountered two deer, which “came out of nowhere and ran across the parking lot,” when Gebhardt exited her vehicle to enter the service center and pick up keys for a serviced car.

“Linda was hit by one of the deer and trampled,” Wendt said in the email. “Fortunately (daughters) Christine and Kayla were just a few feet away … so they immediately called 911.”

Metro West Fire Protection District Chief Medical Officer M. 'Bud' Mantle said around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday that the victim still was hospitalized and in critical condition.

Mantle said he would not characterize the victim's injury as a "goring." Rather, most of the injury sustained was from the impact of hitting the parking lot surface. He added that serious head injuries typically result in an egg-shaped bruise or swelling, but he did not see that type of wound on Gebhardt.

“So the whole thing has just been a puzzler and we really just hope she pulls through,” Mantle said. "I've been with Metro West for over 30 years … and so has the fire chief ... and we have never had an opportunity to run or take a call where a person was struck by a deer outside of their vehicle.”

The Ellisville City Council discussed population in August and at multiple meetings since, which have included talks about using controlled hunts, traps and possibly birth control.

Ellisville City Administrator Kevin Bookout said last week that the city has a density of about 65 deer per square mile. Bookout said experts typically seek a population of 20 to 30 deer per square mile.

Late last month, residents met in Town & Country to protest sharpshooting by wildlife management contractor White Buffalo.