A Tyneside man has appeared in court charged with murder following a crash in which a young woman died. Florin Chiriac, 31, of Hampstead Road, Benwell, Newcastle, was charged with murder, attempted wounding with intent and dangerous driving after the two-vehicle collision on the A1 in North Yorkshire.
Collision on the A1 near Barton
A silver Ford Transit and a silver Volkswagen Golf were both travelling southbound on the A1 near Barton when they collided on Sunday. Emergency services were called to the scene, between Junction 57 and Junction 56, at around 6.10pm. A 22-year-old woman from Newcastle was pronounced dead at the scene.
Chiriac and a 23-year-old man from Grimsby were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. The 23-year-old was later released with no further action.
Court appearance and remand
Chiriac appeared at York Magistrates' Court on Thursday and was remanded in custody to appear at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.
Police appeal for witnesses
North Yorkshire Police is investigating the collision and has urged anybody with information to get in touch. A spokesperson for the force said: "We know there were a number of vehicles travelling on the A1 at the time of the collision, and we would like to thank all those motorists who have already spoken to officers or come forward with information and dashcam footage to assist our investigation."
"However, we are continuing to appeal for witnesses. If you saw the collision and have not yet spoken to police, please get in touch. Even the smallest detail could prove significant to our enquiries."
"We are also keen to hear from anyone who saw either vehicle in the moments leading up to the collision. In particular, we would like to speak to drivers who may have dashcam footage showing either vehicle before the collision, or footage of the collision itself."
Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police online via their Major Incident Public Portal, through Live Chat on their website (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), or by calling 101. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website, quoting reference 12260195308.
