Pensioner died in tragic accident in Tesco supermarket car park, inquest told

The scene of the accident in Tesco supermarket.

Molly Wood, 74, from Knottingley, died after Valerie Smith ‘accidentally’ caught the accelerator pedal of her automatic Kia Burgundy on Wednesday, March 25.

The inquest at Wakefield Coroner’s Court heard the car hit Mrs Wood and she became trapped under it when it crashed into railings at a speed of around 15mph.

Collision investigator Mark Lingard, of West Yorkshire Police, said Mrs Smith had gone to buy a parking ticket and when she got back in the car it sped forward which resulted in a collision with two people.

Floral tributes at the scene of an accident in Tesco supermarket car park in Pontefract.

He said Mrs Smith had parked her car and Mrs Wood had seen her friend Patricia Towler in the car park and got out of the car. They were talking in front of the parked Kia when the incident happened.

Mrs Towler suffered serious hip injuries and Mrs Wood died at the scene.

Mr Lingard said: “The car moved forward under acceleration but with its parking brake still applied. It struck the casualty with the front near-side, pushing her to the floor and continued to roll over.

“It is likely that it took no longer than a few seconds. When Mrs Smith got back into the car, she didn’t realise that the engine was running and in gear and she has accidentally pressed the accelerator causing the collision.”

Mr Hinchliff read a statement from Mrs Wood’s daughter Mrs Darty who said she was a member of Knottingley Town Hall committee.

The statement said: “Mum couldn’t sit still. She always had to be doing something.

“She still ran the bingo up to the end of her life and she also used to volunteer at Riverside CourtCare Home.”

In recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Hinchliff said there had been an “altercation” with a motorist parked in the bay next to Mrs Smith shortly before the collison.

Mr Hinchliff said: “This is a very sad situation particularly as it involved two very close members of the same family.

“I can’t get out of my mind that this incident with the occupants of the other car has really prayed on her mind and it has caused her to be concerned on that, that she was not concentrating on what she was doing.

“I regard this as a very tragic accident and I am going to record a formal verdict of accidental death.

“Mrs Wood sounded a very lovely lady and I would to offer my condolences to her family.”