Man killed in hit and run near Saint Agnes identified

FRESNO, California (KFSN) -- For several hours part of Millbrook Avenue and the frontage road in front of St. Agnes Medical Center were shut down as police pieced together how a patient was fatally struck by an SUV.

According to police, just before one Thursday morning, 37-year-old Richard Richardson, who was visiting a patient in the hospital, left using the exit near Millbrook. While at the stop sign 40-year-old Richard Morelion, a patient who was kicked out of the hospital for a disturbance, laid down in front of his car.

"He's lying there for a while. It doesn't happen real quick. and so the suspect vehicle, he's stopped there for a while, then he just rolls right over the victim and kills him at that point," Lt. Joe Gomez, Fresno Police.

Surveillance video obtained by police shows Richardson then made a U-turn, saw the body, and then took off.

"It's pretty clear he saw he hit someone because he came back. He saw and looks and leaves without contact anyone so that part we're pretty clear on," said Gomez.

Three hours went by before police were dispatched to the scene.

Because of patient privacy laws officials cannot say why Morelion was kicked out of the hospital.

Richardson faces, at minimum, felony hit and run and manslaughter charges.

"It could be murder if he says, 'yeah I saw him there and I'm tired of people doing this and I hit him on purpose,' that's going to be murder. It depends on what he says," said Gomez.

Fresno Police were able to get a license plate number from the video, which led to Richardson's arrest. They are working to figure out whether he initially saw Morelion lay in front of his car.

We have reached out to the hospital for comment and they said they are cooperating with the ongoing investigation, but cannot make a statement.