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Police officer, 19, dies from crash injuries

Tom MacDougalland
Mark Denten,North East and Cumbria
Northumbria Police Jess Turnbull, wearing police uniform and smiling. She is standing in front of a dark grey brick building with a wooden entrance to one side. Behind her to the other side is a patch of grass, a tall, thin bush-like tree and some other trees, like you might find in the gardens of an office building. Jess is wearing a rounded police hat and black rimmed glasses and has her dark hair tied back.Northumbria Police
Jess Turnbull joined Northumbria Police in September last year

A 19-year-old police officer hurt in a crash while responding to a report of a separate collision has died of her injuries.

Northumbria Police said Jess Turnbull was a "dedicated and committed" officer who had joined the force in September.

She had been sent to the scene of a crash involving a Land Rover Freelander and Ford Explorer on the A189 Spine Road in Cramlington at 23:10 BST on Monday, but was injured when a black Mercedes crashed into a marked police car. Turnbull died in hospital on Wednesday.

A 73-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and released on bail.

Paying tribute to the officer, Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine said Turnbull "had so much still to look forward to in her career and her life".

"She was a dedicated and committed officer who always sought to do her best to keep her communities safe.

"Every single day, police officers up and down the country face danger to protect the public.

"Thankfully, most go home – tragically on this occasion Jess did not.

"Jess made the ultimate sacrifice and that will never be forgotten."

Mark Denten/BBC A modern office building with a glass front made from rows of windows has small trees in front and, to the side, a white flag pole with a union jack flag at half mast.Mark Denten/BBC
The union jack outside Northumbria Police headquarters is flying at half mast

The initial crash saw the Ford leave the road and the occupants of the Land Rover flee the area on foot before police arrived.

No serious injuries were reported at that point.

Then the Mercedes collided with a marked police car, injuring Turnbull, and the driver was arrested initially on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Mark Denten/BBC Orange cones are blocking off the A189 at Cramlington. A police car pictured from behind has an LED sign in its rear window spelling out the word "closed".Mark Denten/BBC
The officer was fatally injured in a crash in Cramlington, Northumberland

Confirming Turnbull's death, Jardine added: "Our thoughts very much continue to be with her family, friends, and all those that have been impacted by this devastating loss.

"We are mourning the passing of not only a colleague and a friend, but also our own family member."

The force has asked people wishing to pay their respects to not leave tributes at the crash scene but instead do so at Northumbria Police's Wallsend headquarters.

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