Northumbria police officer, 19, dies after being struck by car | UK news
A 19-year-old police officer died after being hit by a car while responding to another accident.
PC Jess Turnbull, who has been a Northumbria police officer since September last year, was described by chief constable Vanessa Jardine as “dedicated and determined” with much to look forward to.
“Jess made the ultimate sacrifice and that will never be forgotten,” Jardine said in a statement on Thursday.
Police said Turnbull responded to a collision on the A189 Spine Road in Cramlington, Northumberland, at around 11.10pm on Monday. While he was standing in front of a marked police vehicle at the scene, he was struck by a black Mercedes CLC, which was not involved in the original incident.
A 73-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. After Turnbull died, he was arrested again on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He was released on bail.
Turnbull was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday, Northumbria police said.
At force headquarters in Wallsend, where the union flag was flown at half-mast, Jardine paid tribute to the young officer killed in the “extremely tragic” incident.
“Jess lost her life in the line of duty while serving and protecting our communities,” Jardine said.
“Our thoughts remain with his family, friends and everyone affected by this devastating loss. We will continue to support his loved ones in any way we can.
“Policing is a family and we mourn the passing of not only a colleague and a friend, but also our own family member, and we will continue to support each other during this extremely difficult time.”
After joining the force, Turnbull worked for the response policing team in Northumberland.
Jardine said: “Jess was relatively new to the ministry and had a lot to look forward to in her career and life.
“He was a dedicated and committed officer who always tried to do his best to keep his communities safe.
“Police officers up and down the country face danger every day to protect the public. Fortunately, most go home. Unfortunately, Jess did not do that in this case.
“I’m grateful to everyone who proudly wears the uniform to keep us all safe. Jess made the ultimate sacrifice and it will never be forgotten.”
Northumbria Police said officers are continuing to investigate the collision and are appealing for views from any witnesses who were traveling in the area at the time and anyone who may have dashcam footage.
They asked anyone who wanted to leave a tribute to Turnbull not to do so at the venue. They can be deposited at the flagpole outside the force headquarters and from there transported to the special memorial garden.
