Assington: Police Name Man Killed While Walking Home
17 December 2013, 13:10
A man who died after being hit by a van as he walked along the A134 in Assington is being named by police.
Officers were called by a driver around 6.20pm on Sunday 15 December, who said she was worried about a man walking along the A134 at Newton. Officers immediately went to the area to see if the man could be located.
Police then received a second call from a driver of a Ford Transit van who reported he had been involved in a collision on the road between Newton and Assington about 6.30pm.
A search began in the area and at around 7.30pm the body of a man was located. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The man is being named as Chris Waters, aged 26 years, from Roman Way, Haverhill.
Although police have spoken to a number of people who had been in the area on the evening they are keen to hear from anyone who had been driving along the A134 at Assington and saw the man walking along the road, or from anyone who witnessed the collision.
Sergeant Bob Patterson from the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Serious Collision Investigation Team said: "This is a tragic incident and one which will be subject to a full collision investigation. Prior to this incident we received a call from a concerned motorist saying they had seen someone walking along the road.
"Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full details but from the initial information received it would appear the gentleman had been making his way home after spending time out with friends.
"We would urge people to take care on the county’s roads and wherever possible avoid walking along roads where, especially at this time of year, the light can be very dim, even during the daytime.
"We would stress the importance of arranging a lift or using public transport and taxis. If there really is no other option, walk in well-lit areas on pedestrian pathways and wear bright reflective clothing.”
Chris Waters family have paid tribute to him:
"We are absolutely devastated by the loss of our dear Chris - a kind and loving young man, who was loyal and generous with a big heart and a fantastic sense of humour. He had a wise head on young shoulders and impressed us all with his maturity and determination to be a fantastic father to Oscar. Chris and Oscar loved each other so much and enjoyed every moment they spent together - we keep expecting Chris to walk through the door to delighted screams of 'My daddy, my daddy!'
"In just 26 years, Chris gave and received more love than many will do in a lifetime. We were proud to call him our son, our brother, our friend. He will leave a huge void in our lives, but our only comfort is that he knew how much we loved him, and how proud we were of him, because we told him every day."