A rookie police officer who landed her dream role only last year has been killed after stopping at the scene of a suspicious road smash.

Jess Turnbull, 19, joined Northumbria Police in September and became a front line response officer with her local force.

But on Monday night she was mown down by a black Mercedes car as she stood outside her marked patrol car on the A189 ‘Spine Road’ near Cramlington in Northumberland.

PC Turnbull became the first Northumbria Police officer to die in the line of duty in 20 years.

The Northumberland-based officer had stopped at the scene of a two vehicle smash between a Land Rover and a Ford, before the occupants of the Land Rover ran away across fields.

She was then struck by the Mercedes, which was not connected to the original collision.

The driver of the Mercedes, a man aged 73, was arrested for causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was then re-arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been bailed.

Police have appealed for witnesses or people with dashcam footage to come forward.

Struggling to contain her emotion, Northumbria Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine announced PC Turnbull’s death on Thursday at Northumbria force HQ, where the union flag flew at half mast.

Chief Constable Jardine said: ‘It’s with deep sadness that we share the tragic news that police officer Jess Turnbull has died in the line of duty.

+3
View gallery

Jess Turnbull, 19, was killed after stopping at the scene of a suspicious road crash in Northumberland on Monday night

+3
View gallery

The union flag was seen flying at half mast at Northumbria force HQ on Thursday

‘Jess was responding to a collision in Cramlington late on Monday night. While at the scene, she was struck by a car, which was unconnected to the original incident.

‘Jess was taken to hospital, where, yesterday, surrounded by her loved ones, she sadly died.

‘Our thoughts very much continue to be with her family, friends, and all those that have been impacted by this devastating loss.

‘We will continue to support her loved ones in any way that we can.

‘Policing is a family, and we are mourning the passing of not only a colleague and a friend, but also our own family member.

‘And we will continue to support each other during this extremely difficult time.

‘Jess, who was 19, joined the force in September last year and worked on the response policing team in Northumberland. She 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 faced danger to protect the public.

‘Thankfully, most go home. Tragically, on this occasion, Jess did not. I’m grateful to all those who wear the uniform with pride to keep us all safe.

‘Jess made the ultimate sacrifice, and that will never be forgotten.’

+3
View gallery

Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine paid tribute to PC Turnbull as a ‘dedicated officer’

The Mercedes CLC collided with PC Turnbull and her marked Northumbria Police car which was on the southbound carriageway at 11.10pm on June 8.

Paramedics raced to the scene and the officer was rushed to the nearby specialist care hospital at Cramlington.

PC Turnbull had been responding to reports of a silver Land Rover Freelander colliding with a white Ford Explorer.

The Ford left the road and the occupants of the Land Rover fled the area on foot before police arrived, with no injuries reported.

At the time Assistant Chief Constable Helena Barron, of Northumbria Police, said: ‘Our thoughts are very much with the officer, their loved ones and all those impacted by what has happened.

‘Officers from the force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit have since launched an investigation.

‘They say they are especially keen to hear from any witnesses who were travelling in the area at the time, and those who may have dashcam footage.’

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called to a road traffic incident on the A189 Spine Road in Cramlington shortly before midnight on Monday, June 8.

‘We dispatched two ambulance crews, one duty officer and were supported by our colleagues at Great North Air Ambulance Service.

‘Two patients were taken to hospital by road for further treatment.’

A spokesperson for the Great North Air Ambulance Service added: ‘Our critical care team was activated at 11.39pm to reports of a road traffic collision on the A189 in Cramlington.

‘We had a paramedic and doctor on a rapid response vehicle and they arrived on scene at 11.55pm.

‘Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat a patient and accompanied them to hospital.’

Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police via a direct message on social media, live chat and report forms on the force’s website, or call 101.

Police have appealed for witnesses or people with dashcam footage to come forward.

People have been urged not to leave floral tributes to the officer at the scene of the crash for safety reasons.

Members of the public who wish to pay tribute with flowers have been asked to do so at the force headquarters in Middle Engine Lane, Wallsend.

The officer’s family has asked for privacy.

PC Turnbull’s death marked the first Northumbria Police officer to die in the line of duty in 20 years.

The last was PC Joseph Carroll, who was killed when a prisoner being transported from Hexham to Newcastle yanked on the patrol car’s handbrake, causing a 70mph smash on the A69 in Northumberland on April 13, 2006.

Steven Graham, 39, a communications instructor at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, was jailed for five-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to manslaughter.