Roehampton Woman Died Under Wheels of Lorry


Claire O’Hanlon had been drinking before climbing onto back of vehicle

Details of the final moments of a Roehampton woman who died under the wheels of a lorry have been revealed at an inquest this week.

Claire O’Hanlon, aged 47, formerly of Clarence Lane had been waiting at a bus stop in Danebury Avenue on the afternoon of Friday 15th November 2013.

Claire O’Hanlon

Claire O’Hanlon

According to a report in the Daily Mail, an inquest at Westminster Coroner’s Court Ms O’Hanlon had been in a local club before her death and was three times over the legal driving limit. She was with a group of friends who flagged down the lorry. One of them got into the cab of the vehicle where her boyfriend was already situated. Ms O'Hanlon, along with Michelle Moore, got on the back of the flatbed vehicle when it was travelling at around 3mph. Ms Moore told the inquest how she had got up first and then helped Ms O’Hanlon to climb on board. She then fell off when the vehicle accelerated and went over a speed bump.
Ms Moore witnessed Ms O’Hanlon falling off the back of the vehicle and being crushed by the rear wheels.

London Ambulance service attended the scene and found the victim had suffered a cardiac arrest, head and pelvic injuries and pronounced her dead.

The driver John Boswell was arrested at the scene on suspicion of dangerous driving but the Coroner Shirley Radcliffe concluded that he was unaware that the two women had got onto the back of his lorry.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.

February 13, 2015

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