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Police appeal after three cyclists killed in Cleveland area in less than a fortnight

Latest fatality happened on Friday morning with driver of transit van failing to stop

Police in Cleveland have appealed for information after a cyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Friday – the third bike rider to have lost his life in the area patrolled by the force in less than a fortnight.

The latest happened on Mowbray Road in Hartlepool at 6.45am on Friday 31 July.

The victim was a 58-year-old man, while the vehicle involved was a white transit van.

A spokeswoman for the force commented: “Specially-trained officers are supporting the man’s family and our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.”

Police have appealed for anyone who saw a white Transit van with a blue logo in Catcote Road, Fens or Owton Manor between 6am and 7:30am on Friday to contact them.

The North East Ambulance Service said in a statement: “We were called at 6.48am to a cyclist unconscious after being involved in a road traffic collision.

“CPR was in progress and we dispatched a double-crewed ambulance and a clinical care manager.”

Cleveland Police, whose territory covers the Tees Valley Combined Area which comprises Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees, shares road policing operations with neighbouring Durham Constabulary.

Just across the border in County Durham, a cyclist was killed the previous Friday 24 July on the A689 between Wynyard and Sedgefield.

The fatal crash, which happened at around 4.10pm involved a white Ford Fiesta and a black Audi TT.

Police arrested a 22-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man on suspicion of what were described as “driving offences.”

Referring to that incident, a spokesman for Cleveland Police said: “Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or has dash cam footage which may assist to contact Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit on 101, reference 119601.”

Three days earlier, a 14-year-old cyclist was killed in a collision involving a white Volkswagen Golf on Bankfields Road in Eston, Middlesbrough.

That incident happened on Tuesday 21 July at 7.35pm. The victim, Jake Hurst, died from his injuries at James Cook University Hospital.

Police have asked anyone who saw the collision or has dashcam footage to contact them on 101 quoting 117986.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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11 comments

Avatar
Rick_Rude | 3 years ago
4 likes

The 'white van' is the ultimate anonymity. Maybe it's time for all business vehicles to have to prominently display ownership on the sides in very large fonts.

I read something saying Yodel moved to plain vans to stop complaints about their crap drivers. Wouldn't surprise me.

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brooksby replied to Rick_Rude | 3 years ago
2 likes

Or some sort of prominent registration mark, which clearly allowed the Powers That Be to identify the vehicle and its ownership...

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LetsBePartOfThe... | 3 years ago
3 likes

There are just no words 

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BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 3 years ago
4 likes

apppeal for witnesses, ask for dash - cam,  apprehend and release pending further enquiries  . . . . .  prosecute and throw the book at them. Enough fines and three points and a mild reprimand. Punish these drivers . 

Avatar
BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 3 years ago
4 likes

I wonder if that fat pig faced bloke on the radio (what was his name again?) will have a rant about untaxed, hit and run transit van drivers being an 'eyesore' on the the nation?

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nicmason replied to BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 3 years ago
1 like

That'll be Nick Ferrari on LBC

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Richard D | 3 years ago
4 likes

It is about time that the law - and the punishments handed out for breaking it - recognised that leaving the scene of a collision is one of the most despicable things a driver can do, short of deliberately driving into someone else.  It's hardly surprising that scumbags drive off when they believe that the chances of discovering their identity and involvement is so low, and the punishment meted out is almost inconsequential (usually a small fine and penalty points) - and almost always a lesser penalty than that imposed for the underlying offence that they were trying to evade justice for.

Me, I'd be happy to see ALL such offences charged as an attempt to pervert the course of justice, with the maximum sentence being one of life.

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Richard D replied to Richard D | 3 years ago
5 likes

Of course, I might be somewhat biased because of the way a driver on Friday  told me he could kill me and leave my body in a ditch, before positioning his vehicle to drive it at me (behaviour which I discouraged by preparing to throw my bike through his windscreen if he had done anything more than drive off).  The vehicle was untaxed, no MOT, SORNed and I would not be terribly surprised to find out that he was uninsured and not the registered keeper.  Making it tricky to ensure that he faces any punishment at all for the threats and aggression he demonstrated.

But he is just one of many, as shown by tragic incidents like the above, which are now all too common.

A situation not helped when the Police actively discourage people reporting crimes unless someone actually is killed or seriously injured.

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iandusud replied to Richard D | 3 years ago
0 likes

If the vehicle has no MOT then the insurance is invalid - so no insurance. 

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mike the bike replied to iandusud | 3 years ago
0 likes

Aah, if only the rules were that simple but I'm afraid the one does not necessarily follow the other.  It is true however, that an insurer could challenge the validity of a policy if the vehicle was found to be unroadworthy, but even that is a tortuous path, littered with legal problems.

(In your system it would be illegal to drive a vehicle to an MOT test if the previous certificate had expired, even by a day.)

Avatar
ktache | 3 years ago
9 likes

My thoughts go out to the families and friends of those whose lives were taken away.

Too many futures cut short.

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