MUM IN HIT AND RUN TERROR
Daughter ,7, watched collision in horror
A Sunderland mum has spoken about the terrifying moment she was struck by a hit-and-run driver while her daughter watched on in horror.
Laura Marriner had just parked up outside her home in Red House and picked her bag up from the back seat of the car when a passing car hit her on the hip and back with such force that the car’s wing mirror was knocked off.
Her seven-year-old daughter, Lola, witnessed the terrifying ordeal from the front seat and was thankfully unhurt.
The 33-year-old mum called the police, who sent a nearby armed response team, as they are medically trained, and an ambulance.
Laura was hospitalised following the incident, which happened on Tuesday at around 6.30pm, and suffered extensive swelling and bruising to her back and hip on her left side.
“I was just outside my house, I’d parked up and was getting my bag off the back seat,” said Laura.
“Luckily, I’d moved my daughter into the front because she gets car sick in the back.
“I can only assume the oncoming car just hadn’t seen me. It sped into me and hit the car door too.
“I think it was a yellow car but I’ve started to doubt mythat self because it was so dark, It was definitely a VW because the wing mirror was knocked clean off.”
The hit-and-run happened on Redcar Road just months after little girl Bobbie Tighe, 10, was knocked down by a disqualified driver.
Laura said: “My daughter was in the car, the driver just wasn’t watching.
“When it happened the noise of the impact was so loud – they couldn’t have not realised.
“My daughter saw and heard what happened and it took a while to get her calmed down, she was so upset.”
Laura and her family are now appealing for information to track down the driver who sped off.
“I’m still in total shock how someone could continue driving and not stop,” said the mum-of-one.
“It wasn’t too long ago that a little girl was knocked over on this road.
“There have been discussions about putting the road down to a 20mph zone from a 30. I don’t think the driver hit me was going at just 30mph.”
An appeal for witnesses has also been issued by police investigating the collision.
A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: “At around 6.30pm on Tuesday police received a report of a collision between a pedestrian and a car on Redcar Road in the Red House area of Sunderland.
“It was reported that the 33-year-old woman has been removing bags from the back seat of her car when a passing vehicle has hit her and her rear driver side door that was open at the time.
“The vehicle, a small yellow car, has then left the scene without stopping.
“The woman was taken to hospital as a precaution and enquiries to trace the driver are ongoing.
“The driver, or anyone who knows their identity, is encouraged to contact police.
“Anyone who saw the vehicle in the area on Tuesday evening is also asked to call officers on 101 quoting log 863 29/01/19.”