BLACKSBURG -- A former Virginia Tech student who crashed her sport utility vehicle into a crowd in downtown Blacksburg during the summer now faces three felony charges.

Mary Elizabeth Bowen, 20, of Winchester already had been charged with driving under the influence after her SUV swerved onto the sidewalk in front of Big Al's Grille & Sports Bar as downtown bars were closing about 2 a.m. June 16.

Eight people were treated at hospitals after being struck by Bowen's Toyota RAV 4.

The injuries suffered by three were so severe that Bowen has been charged with maiming them.

Court documents don't name the three or describe their injuries, but according to state code, the injuries must result "in permanent and significant physical impairment" for a conviction.

Blacksburg police in late July gathered the victims' medical records to determine the severity of their injuries.

If convicted on one maiming charge, Bowen could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500 and could have her driver's license revoked.

She faces a preliminary hearing on the three counts of maiming while driving under the influence and a trial on her misdemeanor DUI charge in December.

After her arrest on the new charges late last month, she was released on $10,000 bond.

Bowen had finished her sophomore year at Tech at the time of the crash and had a Blacksburg address. Her address in court documents has since been changed to Winchester.

According to court documents, Bowen is forbidden to leave the state and cannot have any contact with the victims until her hearing.

Blacksburg police have said Bowen admitted she was sending a text message when she crashed. Her blood-alcohol concentration shortly afterward was 0.20 percent, police said, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.

Because Bowen is younger than 21, it is illegal for her to drink alcohol. Drivers younger than 21 with a BAC as low as 0.01 can be charged with driving after illegally consuming alcohol, Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch said.

A DUI conviction has a harsher penalty, though, because the BAC must be 0.08 or above.