A woman whose car plunged down a ravine near Kennywood Park yesterday is in serious condition in Allegheny General Hospital.

Police said Patricia Wooten, 53, of West Mifflin, was the woman whose car went through or over several barriers in the McDonald's parking lot on Route 837.

Ms. Wooten was pulled from the ravine by rescue crews and then transported to the hospital.

Workers for Frank Scurry Painting Co. were painting a guide rail around the McDonald's parking lot when they saw the crash.

They said the woman entered the parking lot at normal speed, turned toward the back of the lot and suddenly accelerated. The Dodge Stratus went over a yellow traffic post, over a guide rail, through a fence and down a 200-foot ravine before landing on a bridge pillar.

West Mifflin Volunteer Fire Department crews rappelled down the hillside with a stretcher to retrieve the driver. She was the only one in the car.