Witney: Man Bailed After Teenage Girl Dies In Car Crash

1 July 2014, 05:40

A teenage driver arrested over a collision which killed a 14-year-old girl and injured three other people was tonight bailed by police.


The 18-year-old man was held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after the incident in which a car hit pedestrians in Witney, Oxfordshire this morning.

Tributes were earlier paid to the dead girl, named locally as Liberty Baker, who was described as a "friendly and kind girl''.

Floral tributes were left by the roadside where Liberty was fatally injured in Curbridge Road just after 8am.

Liberty, two other 14-year-old girls and a man - who were all pedestrians - were hit by a blue Citroen C2, Thames Valley Police said.

In a statement tonight, a police spokesman: "The man, who was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a collision in Curbridge Road at 8.12am in which a 14-year-old girl was killed, has been bailed until 10 August.''

The two unnamed girls and the man were receiving treatment at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford as police appealed for information.

Liberty was a Year 9 pupil at the 1,400-pupil Henry Box School in Witney where staff and students were being counselled over her death.

Headteacher Wendy Hemmingsley said: "With deep regret I have to report that a Year 9 student was involved in a fatal traffic incident this morning in Witney.

"The school community is deeply saddened by this news and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.

"Support is being offered to students and staff.''

Tributes were paid to Liberty on social networking sites, including Twitter. One tweeted: ``RIP Liberty Baker.

"You were such a friendly and kind girl. I have great memories from primary school that I'll never forget. Sleep tight.''

Another wrote: "Liberty Baker, you were way too young. Heaven's gained a beautiful angel. RIP.''

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is MP for Witney, sent his condolences via Twitter: "My thoughts are with friends and family of the 14-year-old girl killed by a car in Witney this morning. Witnesses should call police on 101.''