A 19-year-old police officer with Northumbria Police was killed in the line of duty after being struck by a vehicle while attending a separate crash scene in Northumberland. Jess Turnbull, who joined the force in September,died on June 8 following the incident on the A189 in Cramlington. A 73-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has since been released on bail, according to the report.

The 19-year-old officer who joined in September

PC Turnbull had only been a front-line response officer for a few months after joining the force in September. The report notes that she quickly became a front-line officer. Her death marks the first time a Northumbria Police officer has been killed in the line of duty in 20 years.. The last was PC Joseph Carroll, who died in 2006 after a prisoner yanked the handbrake of a patrol car, causing a crash on the A69.

A 73-year-old suspect arrested and released on bail

The driver of the black Mercedes CLC that allegedly collided with PC Turnbull and her marked police car was immediately arrested at the scene. According to the report, he was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged. He was initially arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving , and re-arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving before being released on bail pending further investigation. The report does not specify the driver's condition or whether impairment was suspected.

The last line-of-duty death: PC Joseph Carroll in 2006

The death of PC Turnbull is the first line-of-duty fatality for Northumbria Police in two decades. The previous officer killed was PC Joseph Carroll , who died in 2006 after a prisoner yanked the handbrake of a patrol car, causing a crash on the A69. In that case, a communications instructor was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison. The comparison underscores the rarity and severity of such incidents for the force.

What happened before the collision: two crashes and fleeing occupants

PC Turnbull was responding to a report of a collision involving a silver Land Rover Freelander and a white Ford Explorer that had left the road. The occupants of the Land Rover fled the scene on foot before emergency services arrived. No injuries were reported from that initial crash. While PC Turnbull and her marked police vehicle were at the scene, a black Mercedes CLC not connected to the earlier collision allegedly struck her and her car. The report does not clarify why the Mercedes driver collided with the police car, nor the identity of the fleeing occupants.

Tributes honour 'courage, honour and dedication'

The union flag was flown at half-mast at Northumbria Police headquarters, and flowers and heartfelt messages were left. One note read: "Jess served with courage,honour and dedication,protecting others at the highest cost." The report describes an outpouring of grief from the community and fellow officers. The investigation remains ongoing, and the circumstances surrounding the collision are still being examined.