PC Jess Turnbull had only been a police officer since September. On Monday night, she was sent to a crash on the A189 Spine Road in Cramlington, Northumberland. While standing outside her marked police car at the scene, a black Mercedes CLC that was not involved in the original incident struck her. She died in hospital on Wednesday surrounded by her loved ones.
The 19-year-old Northumbria Police officer was responding to a collision involving a Land Rover Freelander and a Ford Explorer at about 11.10pm. The occupants of the Land Rover had fled the area on foot before police arrived; no serious injuries were reported from that initial crash.
“PC Jess Turnbull, 19, died after being hit by a Mercedes while responding to a crash on the A189.”
A 73-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. After Turnbull's death, he was re-arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and released on bail.
Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine paid tribute at the force's headquarters in Wallsend, where the Union flag flew at half-mast. "Jess lost her life in the line of duty while serving and protecting our communities," she said. "She was a dedicated and committed officer who always sought to do her best to keep her communities safe."
Jardine added: "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."
Turnbull worked on the response policing team in Northumberland. Jardine described her as "relatively new in service with so much still to look forward to in her career and life."
The force has asked people not to leave floral tributes at the crash scene for safety reasons, but instead to do so at Northumbria Police's Wallsend headquarters. Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward.
Turnbull is understood to be the first Northumbria Police officer killed on duty since 2006, when PC Joseph Carroll died in a collision caused by a prisoner he was transporting pulling the handbrake on his car.