On the morning of 24 September , 16-year-old Highgate School pupil Melissa Premaratne was killed in a road traffic collision in North London. The incident occurred on North Road when she was struck by an Addison Lee Mercedes Vito people carrier while walking to school.
The 8:13 am collision on North Road
The fatal accident took place during the height of the morning school run in the N6 area of Highgate. Melissa Premaratne, a Year 12 student, was walking toward her classes when the black Mercedes Vito people carrier struck her.. As the report states, the impact was so severe that the teenager became trapped underneath the vehicle, requiring the London Fire Brigade to use specialist lifting equipment to free her.
Emergency services responded with significant urgency to the North Road scene. The London Ambulance Service received the initial emergency call at 8:11 am and dispatched a large-scale response, including an advanced paramedic, a motorcycle responder, an inident response officer, and paramedics in fast response cars. Despite the arrival of London’s Air Ambulance and other medical crews, the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 68-year-old man arrested for careless driving
Following the collision, police officers arrested a 68-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving. While the individual has since been released on bail, the Metropolitan Police continue to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the crash. Detective Inspector Simon Ager noted that the loss of such a young life is devastating and acknowledged the profound impact the incident will have on those who knew the victim.
Addison Lee's involvement with the Mercedes Vito
The vehicle involved in the fatal accident has been confirmed as belonging to the private hire group Addison Lee. A spokesman for the company acknowledged the serious inciident involving a pedestrian and their vehicle in the Highgate area at approximately 8:30 am. According to the report, Addison Lee is cooperating with the police-led investigation, though the company has declined to provide further details while the official facts are still being determined.
The search for CCTV and dashcam footage in Highgate
As investigators work to reconstruct the moments leading up to the crash, several critical questions remain unanswered.. Police are currently appealing to the public for any dashcam, CCTV, or mobile phone footage from the North Road vicinity captured around 8:13 am on 24 September. It remains unverified whether the collision was the result of driver error or if any mechanical issues contributed to the Mercedes Vito striking the student. furthermore, the police have not yet clarified if any other witnesses or vehicles were involved in the immediate aftermath of the impact.
Tributes for a Year 12 student at Highgate School
The Highgate School community, a private institution with annual fees of £31,000, expressed deep heartbreak over the loss of the Year 12 pupil . A school spokesman described the news as a "terrible shock" and emphasized that the institution would provide comprehensive support to the Premaratne family, students, and staff. Tulip Siddiq,the Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate, also expressed her devastation on X, noting the deep impact the tragedy will have on the wider community.. Tributes have since been left near the school to honor the memory of the young girl.
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