Pedestrian dies after collision with vehicle involved police pursuit

Pedestrian dies after collision with vehicle involved police pursuit

A 54-year-old pedestrian has died after he was hit by a car which had previously been followed by officers, police said.

The victim was one of two pedestrians who were hit by a car outside the County Hotel pub on Walker Road in Newcastle at around 10pm on Sunday, Northumbria Police said.

The car, a VW Passat, had previously been followed by police after being linked to two other vehicles which had been abandoned with damaged windscreens in the Walker area of the city – but officers lost sight of it, police said.

Pedestrian dies after collision with vehicle
Floral tributes at the scene outside the pub (Henry Clare/PA)

“A short time later, officers received a report that the vehicle in question had collided with two pedestrians at the County Hotel pub on Walker Road.

“At the time of the collision, officers were not in pursuit of the vehicle.”

Both pedestrians were taken to hospital with serious injuries, police said. Three others in the car were also taken to hospital, one with serious injuries.

A 54-year-old man, one of the pedestrians, later died.

The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) “as is a matter of course in incidents of this nature”, the force said.

A row of flowers could be seen outside the pub on Monday afternoon, as passers-by paid tribute to the deceased.

Ethan Ridley, a 23-year-old who lives near to the scene of the incident, said that he knew the man personally and that he was a “lovely person”.

He said: “That would have been his local pub, and I think he was a regular in there. I’d see him inside having a pint from time to time.

“He was very friendly, a cracking bloke.”

Another nearby resident, a 26-year-old full-time mum who did not wish to be named, claimed that the man was a father to several children and grandchildren.

She said: “I could see all the blue flashing lights just before I went to bed last night, but I didn’t go out to see what it was.

“The whole thing is really tragic, especially as it was so close to last orders. If he’d stayed in there a little longer, he’d probably still be alive.”

In a statement, the IOPC said they had started an investigation into the incident.

A spokesman said: “Northumbria Police contacted us as the car had been pursued by an officer for a short time.

“We understand, at this time, that the pursuit was abandoned before the crash happened.

“We sent investigators to the scene who gathered initial evidence; including taking statements from the officer in the police car, and viewing CCTV footage of the incident.”

The statement concluded: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family and all those affected by this tragic incident.”

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