A 19-year-old police officer has died after being hit by a car while responding to another crash in Northumberland. PC Jess Turnbull, who joined Northumbria Police in September last year, was struck by a black Mercedes CLC on the A189 Spine Road in Cramlington at about 11.10pm on Monday.
PC Turnbull was standing outside a marked police vehicle at the scene of a separate collision when she was hit. The Mercedes 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, and later rearrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He has been released on bail.
PC Turnbull was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died on Wednesday surrounded by loved ones. Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine paid tribute, describing her as “dedicated and committed” and saying she “made the ultimate sacrifice”. Jardine added: “Jess was relatively new in service with so much still to look forward to in her career and life.”
Northumbria Police continue to investigate the collision and are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage from the area at the time. The force has asked the public not to leave tributes at the scene but at the flagpole outside force headquarters, where they will be moved to a private memorial garden.
