Marisa Malin, 73, of Cerritos was seated on a bench outside Farrell's Ice Cream on the 8600 block of Beach Boulevard when an silver Suzuki XL7 slammed into her.
She was pinned underneath the SUV and died as a result of her injuries at UCI Medical Center in Orange.
Friends say Malin was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church on Clarkdale Avenue in Artesia, and that her kids were members of the church's choir. She is also the mother-in-law of mayor pro tem in Artesia.
Five others were transported to a local hospital. They included two girls, ages 12 and 13, an 11-year-old boy and two adults, both 40 years old.
A sixth person was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The driver, said to be in his 80s, was detained for questioning.
Authorities say the driver and his wife were leaving the ice cream parlor's parking lot when the crash happened. According to investigators, instead of hitting reverse, the driver accelerated forward and struck the group of people.
