Inquest opens into death of man, 58, fatally crushed in Royal Berkshire Hospital car park

A hospital visitor was run over and killed by a friend he was trying to help reverse into a parking space in a multi-storey car park, a coroner heard today.

Richard Burton, 58, was visiting a patient at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading on 13 March when he was fatally crushed under the wheels of a 4×4 vehicle.

The assistant coroner heard the driver of the vehicle lost control as he tried to reverse - lurching backwards into Mr Burton. Mr Burton, from Shirley Avenue, Reading, was killed on level one of the multi-storey car park at the hospital last month.

He had gone to the hospital to visit a friend when he was accidentally run over by a reversing Mitsubishi 4×4 SUV.

The coroner heard that the driver of the vehicle lost control as he reversed, moving backwards and hitting Mr Burton.Opening the inquest into his death at the Berkshire Coroners' Office today, Tuesday 23 April, assistant Coroner Ian Wade said the incident was “tragic and very poignant.”He said: “In the course of visiting a friend who was an in-patient at the Royal Berkshire Hospital on March 13 this year, Richard Burton was guiding a friend to be able to park a Mitsubishi 4×4 SUV when, unaccountably, the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with Richard in the car park - causing serious and fatal crush injuries.”

Thames Valley Police launched an investigation which is still ongoing and whose outcome will determine whether an inquest is to take place, Mr Wade told the hearing.He said: “This is a matter which, of course, continues to be investigated by Thames Valley Police. It is not exactly known what the outcome of their investigation will be.“However, the death is clearly unnatural, and an inquest may be required at a later date.“This inquest is opened and adjourned.“I will await to hear the outcome of the police investigation to fix an inquest date.”A later post-mortem examination gave the cause of Mr Burton's death as “multiple injuries.”

Paramedics rushed to the scene of the incident, which took place at about 5pm on March 13 this year - but sadly, could not help Mr Burton who died in the car park that same evening.

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