Tributes to Burgess Hill teenager killed on M23 (From The Argus)

Tributes to Burgess Hill teenager killed on M23

8:48am Monday 19th July 2010 in

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Hundreds of heartbroken friends have paid tribute to a teenage boy killed while crossing an unlit stretch of the M23 after a wedding.

Last night, they were planning a candlelit vigil in memory of the 15-year-old victim, named by friends as Scott Turner, who was hit by at least five vehicles including an unmarked police car, ambulance and lorry.

Scott, from Burgess Hill, died at 1.50am on Sunday just south of Junction 10 at Crawley.

Scott was first struck by a black Nissan Note and then by the other vehicles, including the ambulance, which was taking a patient to hospital.

The teenager, who friends said attended Downlands Community School, Hassocks, died at the scene.

The motorway was closed in both directions for eight hours until 10am as police carried out forensic examinations.

Flowers and tributes were laid outside Scott’s semidetached home in Southway.

Chief Superintendent Paul Morrison, who is leading the investigation, said: “This is a tragic and devastating case of a 15-year-old boy who left a family function for reasons we are still trying to find out, and found himself in the live lane of a motorway, where his life was ended.

“What we want to know is how come he was there? How did he get there? Which direction did he walk from and had anyone seen him walking along the hard shoulder before the accident happened?

“We know he was hit by at least five vehicles including an unmarked police car, an ambulance and an HGV but there may have been more.

Carriageway “He was in lanes one or two of the northbound carriageway when he was hit by the first car. The driver then stopped to call police and while that’s happening another vehicle strikes the body that’s lying in the carriageway.

“It is quite possible people driving along the motorway at that time hit something and carried on, unaware that it was a body. It’s important we find these people.

“The other people it is important we speak to are drivers who may have seen him walking close to the motorway before the accident.

“This is a tragic incident where a young man with his whole life in front of him died.

“It is a raw and traumatic time for his friends and family and our thoughts are with them.

“It’s difficult to give an idea of the sequence of events as we’re still piecing together statements and we want to avoid speculation.”

Lauren Carden, who said she was Scott’s cousin, posted on The Argus website: “Our family have just lost a beautiful young boy.”

Staff at the Europa Gatwick Hotel, where the wedding was believed to have been held, declined to comment.

A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said: “The IPCC has been informed by Sussex Police of the incident on the M23. We will be considering a referral from the force today but on the information presently available it is not believed any IPCC involvement in the investigation will be required.”

A spokeswoman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said: “One of the vehicles to hit the boy was an ambulance, which was conveying a patient with a non-life threatening illness to hospital.

Sympathy “The patient was conveyed by another ambulance, which arrived at the scene quickly after the incident occurred.

“This is an extremely tragic event and our sympathy is with the family and friends during this difficult time.

“SECAmb is working with the police to support this investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999, quoting Operation Harlington.

Please leave your own tributes below.

Any comments speculating on the cause of the crash will be removed.