Oct. 11--RICHMOND HEIGHTS -- An elderly Brentwood man found dead in a car outside St. Mary's Health Center in Richmond Heights may have been trying to make it to the emergency room, authorities said.
Police are not releasing his name until relatives are notified and the medical examiner releases its report. The cause of death wasn't immediately clear, but Richmond Heights Police Maj. Rich Zweifel said it doesn't appear foul play was involved.
"I guess he was driving himself to the hospital and made it to the parking lot and passed away behind the wheel," Zweifel said. "He didn't quite make it into the hospital."
Neil Kiesel, communication director at St. Mary's Health Center, said the man hadn't been a patient at the hospital. He said it wasn't clear whether the man was trying to reach the emergency room.
"It's just a sad situation," Kiesel said. "There's no way to know."
Officials said St. Louis paramedics spotted the man inside his vehicle about 4 a.m. as they were restocking their ambulance after dropping off a patient. A paramedic opened the door of the man's car and tried to communicate with the man. There was no response and they discovered he was dead.
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