An inquest has been opened into the death of a popular 16-year-old student who died following a motorcycle collision in the Botcherby area of Carlisle earlier this month.
Reuben Price was pronounced dead at the scene of the one-vehicle crash, at Holywell Crescent, on the afternoon of December 2 — a day before he was due to celebrate his 17th birthday.
Glowing tributes to the teen were paid in the wake of his death, relatives describing him as a “happy boy” whose “family and his girlfriend were everything to him”.
Floral tributes were laid following the collision, a candle-it vigil took place on his birthday while a Richard Rose Central Academy spokesman said the school community was “deeply saddened” by his death.
An inquest into his death was opened in Cockermouth earlier today by area coroner for Cumbria Kirsty Gomersal.
Ms Gomersal noted that an investigation into the circumstances of his death had commenced on December 7.
Ms Gomersal observed that Carlisle-born Reuben, of the city’s Borland Avenue, had been formally identified by his mother, Cheryl.
Following a post-mortem, the coroner said she was “offered a cause of death of 1a head injury”.
“His death was diagnosed by a Heli-med doctor at that location (Holywell Crescent) on the 2nd Dec, 2021, at 4-32pm, only the day before his 17th birthday,” Ms Gomersal said during the short hearing.
Given the cause and circumstances of the teen’s death, the coroner said she was satisfied an inquest was required.
“In order that further enquiries can be made into Mr Price’s death I am now formally adjourning his inquest until a provisional conclusion date of 3rd May, 2022,” she added.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Cumbria police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact them either online, by phone on 101 or by Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
