Police tried to stop car before hit and run tragedy

Mar 5 2008 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

FRESH details emerged today over how a young Midland mother met her death in a tragic hit-and-run accident.

Leanne Moore, aged 25, from Halesowen, died in hospital after being struck by a car in Barrack Lane, Colley Gate, Cradley, at about 12.20am on Mothering Sunday.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating the circumstances of the police involvement with the car, said today that police tried to stop the black Rover 800 at about 12.15am.

The vehicle failed to stop and travelled along Barrack Lane and over the crest of a hill before hitting pedestrian Leanne, who had just come out of The Widders pub with her boyfriend.

IPCC Commissioner John Crawley, who is carrying out an independent investigation, said today: "This was the most horrific of incidents.

"We will need to establish what involvement or contact the police car had with the black Rover car prior to this fatal collision. We deployed investigators to the scene at the time of the accident and our team has spent the weekend independently examining the evidence."

It was also revealed today that police inquiries to date have not identified the vehicle involved in the collision as having been stolen.

Three men aged 26, 21 and 20 and two women aged 18 and 17 who were arrested on Monday in connection with the accident have now been bailed pending further inquiries.

Anyone who has any information on the accident was asked to contact CID at Halesowen on 0845 1135000.