'I thought I was in hell' Liverpool crash victim breaks down as he reveals moment he found his five-month-old baby after he was thrown 15ft across road by 'drug driver'

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

A victim of the Liverpool crash has revealed the heart-wrenching moment he found his five-month-old baby after he had been thrown 15 feet across the road by the alleged drug driver.
Daniel Eveson, from Telford, Shropshire, and his partner joined 10s of thousands of football fans who had gathered in the city on Bank Holiday Monday to celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League title.
The jubilant atmosphere descended into chaos when a driver drove into the crowds in Water Street just after 6pm - minutes after the Liverpool open-top bus parade passed through the city centre.
Merseyside Police has arrested a 53-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences and driving under the influence of drugs and had lifted all the cordons around the area.
The force said on Wednesday that the number of confirmed casualties had risen to 79, including children, of which 50 were taken to hospital. A total of seven people remained in hospital for ongoing treatment as of Tuesday afternoon.
Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, Daniel revealed he 'thought he was in hell' before he realised his baby boy had survived.
He said: 'I don't know why, but I tried to hold on to the front of the car and try and stop it, push it, do whatever I could from it, hitting my park with my baby.
'But at the time me and my partner were sat on the roof, on the bonnet.
'And, yeah, we were just both trying to hold on to dear life with Ted next to us and my partner went under the wheels of the car at the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg.
'And I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced to the opposite direction about 15ft down the road.
'And as soon as that had happened, I just started screaming for my partner and I found her and I asked her where Teddy was, and she didn't know, and I didn't know.'
Breaking down into tears, Daniel then revealed his relief at discovering his son was 'okay' following the shocking crash.
'And yeah, found him and he was okay,' he added. 'Thank God. Just five months old. Teddy went.'
What started off as the 'perfect' afternoon for Daniel, celebrating the club's 20th league title with his family, soon became 'worst day of his life'.
His partner was among those who received treatment after she went under the wheel of the Ford Galaxy as it rammed through the crowd, knocking people to floor and forcing others to dart out of the way.
The crowd scramble to bring the car to a stop as bystanders lean into the vehicle
Daniel told the BBC on Tuesday: 'It [the car] struck me in my chest, all the way down my left hand side.
'My partner went under the wheel and the car went over her leg and she got dragged down the road.
'Then my little boy got chucked about maybe 15-feet down the road in his pram.
'It was hard because I didn't know where anyone was or what to do or what was going on.'
He continued: 'I went from trying to stop the car, to seeing my partner go I don't know where but away from me.
'And to the next second looking for my partner, shouting and then her telling me I don't know where my boy is.
'To me looking and finding his pram. To not knowing if he was alive. To seeing him alive.
'It was a lot to take on.'
Daniel went to tend to his partner and helped her onto the side of the road before retrieving his son from the pram.
He then took Teddy inside a restaurant, where a woman watched him while the father again went to care for his partner.
Ambulance crews arrived to help the couple around 10 minutes later.
'I thought I had lost everything, I really did,' the traumatised father said.
The family are now recovering from the horrific ordeal, with Daniel's partner still being treated in hospital as of Tuesday morning.
Daniel believes the ordeal will stick with him 'for the rest of my life'.
'I don't honestly believe I will be able to go to a parade or celebration like that ever again,' he added.
'Because there will always be that fear in the back of my mind that anything can happen and we might not be in control.'
Forensic officers by the scene of the incident on Water Street in Liverpool city centre on Tuesday
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper visits the scene on Water Street in Liverpool, where a car hit pedestrians at Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade
A police officer walks as cleaning services sweep the street near the site of an incident where a car plowed into a crowd of Liverpool fans
Liverpool parade road closures
Ahead of the parade, Liverpool City Council said:
'The Strand will be closed northbound from the Upper Parliament Street/Great George Street junction to Leeds Street/Great Howard Street junction from 04.00 – 22.00, or until it is safe to re-open.
'The southbound lane will be closed from approx. 12.00 – 20.00, again subject to crowd safety requirements.
'Additionally, Leeds Street City bound will be closed from 12.00 until approx. 20.00.'
Water Street was closed as part of a rolling programme of road closures during the parade.
On Wednesday, the prime minister met officials in the area and described the scenes on Monday as 'awful'.
He discussed the response to the incident with Mayor of Liverpool Steve Rotheram, Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell, Deputy Chief Constable Chris Green and Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims.
Merseyside Police will now have until tomorrow to question the local man they have arrested for attempted murder, drug driving and dangerous driving.
The 53-year-old is said to have tailgated an ambulance racing to a heart attack victim before unleashing horror on the city centre's streets.
He struck fans at up to 30mph near the city's waterfront, which had been closed to traffic.
All the victims currently in hospital are in a stable condition, with police sources previously saying it was a miracle no one had died.
In a new new update released this afternoon, Merseyside Police said: 'We can confirm that seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition following the incident on Water Street on Monday May 26.
'As part of the ongoing investigation, we have also been able to identify more people who were injured, with 79 in total who we are now speaking with.
'A 53-year-old man from West Derby, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences and driving while unfit through drugs, remains in police custody.
'The investigation team have today been granted further time to continue questioning him in police custody, which will remain in place until tomorrow.
Officers are scouring CCTV footage to piece together the Ford Galaxy's movements before the incident, Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson.
She said: 'I'm pleased to say that the number of people in hospital is reducing as they continue to recover from the awful incident. We continue to support those still receiving treatment and as part of our ongoing enquiries we are identifying more people who were injured.
'I want to reassure the public of Merseyside that detectives are making significant progress as we seek to establish the full circumstances that led to what happened.
'In addition, extensive CCTV enquiries are being carried out across the city to establish the movements of the car, a Ford Galaxy, before the incident took place.
'We have already had an incredible response from many of those who were there on the day, and I thank them for their co-operation with our investigation.
'I would encourage anyone who has not yet contacted police who may have information on this incident to do so. An extensive investigation into the precise circumstances of the incident is ongoing, and we continue to ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident and refrain from sharing distressing content online.'
Up to 1million Liverpool fans had gathered to celebrate the club winning the Premier League title with a 10-mile trophy parade through the city centre.
But the celebration turned to carnage at around 6pm when a row broke out between the driver and spectators. Footage on social media appears to show a man banging on the window after the driver backed into the crowd surrounding the vehicle.
Another man then approaches the car and kicks the rear windscreen, prompting the driver to reverse back into him.
Tensions mount as the car moves back and forth, with at least two spectators punching and kicking the vehicle. The man who was reversed into then appears to smash the rear windscreen after chasing the vehicle and launching a missile.
Separate video, taken at the same time, shows another fan opening the car door, before the driver pulls it shut and accelerates down Dale Street. Later footage shows the Ford Galaxy trying to drive into the crowd on the connecting Water Street.
Several people are seen striking the car as it moves past an ambulance and ploughs through the crowd, knocking over multiple people in its path.
As the crowd evade the car, it swerves through the street, hitting more people before it eventually comes to a halt and is surrounded by fans and police.
Later footage seemingly showed that, by the time the car reached the end of Dale Street and entered Water Street, its back window had been smashed. The driver then appeared to plough into the crowds.
Pictured: The man who was driving the car in Liverpool
In what has been described as an 'unprecedented' move, Merseyside Police quickly confirmed a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested, adding that it wasn't being treated as terrorism.
The force was criticised in the wake of the Southport murders last summer for not releasing information about the killer's ethnicity and religion after false rumours were started online that he was a Muslim asylum seeker.
But police in charge of planning the trophy parade were facing serious questions over how a driver was able to access Water Street.
Ross Welsh, who had to jump out of the way of the oncoming vehicle, said cars on Water Street were able to pass further up the road, but the driver 'navigated' past the 'road closed' sign.
Mr Welsh, who had travelled to the parade from Belfast, told BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show: 'Then there it was beeping and it screeched its tyres to brake. We had to jump to get out of the way. It wasn't very, very close, but it was close enough that we felt we had to get out of the way quick.'
It is understood that Water Street was closed to traffic as part of a rolling road block as the parade reached the city centre.
Referring to how the driver 'tailgated' an ambulance down Water Street, a source told the Mail: 'It looks as if he has panicked when he realised he was in the crowd and people began banging on his car.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, said questions need to be asked about how the driver was able to access a 'road which should have been closed'.
Police officers walk along Water Street near the Liver Building in Liverpool city centre on Tuesday morning
Forensics arrived at the scene of the parade crash as investigations continue
Debris is left behind on Water Street after a Ford Galaxy drove into pedestrians, sparking scenes of panic
TV chef Nisha Katona's Mowgli restaurant is also on Water Street and became an emergency medical centre following the horrific ordeal.
The restaurant opened to police, medical crew and those who had suffered injuries, with staff helping them to get Wi-Fi and phone signal to let their friends and families know they were safe.
Owner Nisha has praised the response of her team and the city as a whole.
She said: 'We had a full restaurant that we had to ensure were safe, reassured and evacuated properly when the time was right.
'We opened the restaurant to the police and paramedics and wounded, and our staff rearranged the restaurant and stayed all night to help the emergency services in whatever way was required.
'Bradley McConville, our operations manager, drove in to town to help the paramedics and to turn the restaurant into an active medical event centre.
'The truth is, the teams say it's the least they could do. That is even more a testament to their open-hearted quick resourcefulness.'
Mowgli also shared a post on social media thanking everyone who reacted to the incident.
Liverpool fans lined the streets in their thousands to celebrate the club's Premier League title
Nisha, who has become a popular TV personality for high profile cookery shows including BBC Two's Great British Menu, said she had received a personal message from a member of the emergency services who was called to the scene.
Describing the staff at Mowgli as amazing, it added: 'They were told the restaurant would be used as a Triage Centre for all the casualties and straight away it was all hands-on deck from them.
'The duty managers went above and beyond to help us and we couldn't have asked for more from them.
'I was tasked to deal with the staff directly to sort the Triage Centre out and they were an absolute credit to Mowgli leadership.
'They assisted the injured people, provided aid to emergency services and were on hand all night to assist where they could. Heroes.'
King Charles has sent a message of support to Liverpudlians following the incident, saying: 'I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.'
He said it was 'truly devastating' that what should have been a joyous celebration for many had ended 'in such distressing circumstances'.
The Prince and Princess of Wales also said they were 'deeply saddened' by the attack.
Princess Anne also lavished praise on emergency workers who helped treat victims of the horrific incident.
The royal, 74, paid a surprise visit to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to speak to medics and first responders who treated those injured in the parade carnage.
A number of those wounded in the incident on Monday night were taken to the hospital, the largest in the city.
Timeline of the Liverpool trophy parade on May 26
Multiple people were injured after a car ploughed into a crowd of jubilant Liverpool fans during their Premier League victory parade just after 6pm on Monday.
The parade started at 2.30pm at Allerton Maze and was supposed to last four hours.
An open-top bus full of players and staff travelled northbound across the city, continuing through key areas.
2.30pm
As the bus made its way along Allerton Maze, players waved to thousands of cheering fans who showed up to watch them set off.
Stars including Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah led celebrations atop the open-top bus.
Crowds of people in Liverpool covered in face-paint lined the street, dancing, waving flags and painting the sky red with flares and confetti.
3.30pm
The bus had already made its first stop to Queens Drive and had crossed over the flyover at the end of the M26.
4pm
Merseyside police issued a warning to the floods of people celebrating.
They said: 'Please keep yourselves and other people safe during today's #LFC Victory Parade by not climbing buildings, structures, scaffolding or street furniture.
'The parade route covers 10 miles and there are plenty of safe vantage points to see the LFC bus. Hope everyone has a great day!'
4.30pm
The bus had already made its way through the next stop - Mill Bank - and had just reached West Derby Road.
5pm
The parade was over half-way through and the bus was making its way towards the city centre.
It started off by driving down Leeds Street before arriving at the Strand and was meant to end on Blundell Street.
5.30pm
The players had passed Old Hall Street junction while Calvin Harris DJ'd at the front of the bus.
5.38pm
Fireworks went off at Malmasion and the Royal Liver Building as the bus headed down New Quay onto The Strand.
5.48pm
The Strand was heaving with people as Calvin Harris played the song One Kiss, fireworks exploded and fans danced and cheered.
6pm
Just after 6pm on Water Street, in the heart of Liverpool's city centre, a car ploughed into a crowd of excited people.
Emergency services rushed to the scene within minutes, with dramatic images showing police cordons, litter strewn across the road, and a strong presence of officers, ambulances and even a fire engine.
The car, described by witnesses as 'beeping' as it made its way through the crowds, eventually came to a halt at the scene.
Multiple people were reportedly injured, with four people being seen taken away on stretchers, while another man was pictured leaning heavily on a police officer for support.
6.42pm
Police vehicles, fire engines and ambulances were stationed around the Water Street area as the main road was cordoned off.
7pm
It was announced that the car was stopped at the scene and a man was arrested.
Merseyside Police said: 'We are currently dealing with reports of a road traffic collision in Liverpool city centre.
'We were contacted at just after 18:00 today, following reports a car had been in collision with a number of pedestrians on Water Street.
'The car stopped at the scene and a male has been detained.
'Emergency services are currently on the scene.'
First responders were attending to people at the scene and the North West Air Ambulance arrived.
7.08pm
The North West Ambulance released a statement.
It said: 'NWAS is supporting an incident in Liverpool city centre, following reports of a road traffic collision.
'We are currently assessing the situation and working with other members of the emergency services.
'Our priority is to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.
'Updates will be published on this page and Mersey Police as we know more.'
7.33pm
Prime Minister Keir Starmer released a statement.
He wrote: 'The scenes in Liverpool are appalling — my thoughts are with all those injured or affected.
'I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident.
'I'm being kept updated on developments and ask that we give the police the space they need to investigate.'
7.54pm
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was updated on the situation in Liverpool.
8pm
Liverpool FC released a statement that read: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident.
'We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.'
8.09pm
Merseyside Police confirmed the man arrested is a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area.
8.40pm
Yvette Cooper posted a statement on X - thanking police and emergency services.
She wrote: 'Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response to the truly shocking and horrendous scenes in Liverpool this evening.
'Thinking of all those affected at this very difficult time. The police are investigating and I'm being kept updated on developments.'
9pm
The scene was littered with several police vans and ambulances as well as emergency service workers on the ground.
A police van and car blocked Water Street with other police vehicles parked along The Strand.
Meanwhile, a large blue tent was erected in Water Street with two fire engines parked in front.
10.55pm
During a press conference this evening, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable, Jenny Sims confirmed that 27 people had been taken to hospital following the carnage. Of those, one adult and one child were seriously injured.
She also said the Water Street collision is not being treated as an act of terrorism.
Adding: 'I know that people will understandably be concerned by what has happened tonight.
'What I can tell you is that we believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it.
'The incident is not being treated as terrorism.'
12.02am
Sir Keir Starmer released a new statement praising the bravery pf the police and condemning the incident.
He said: 'Tonight, I have spoken to Steve Rotheram about the terrible events in Liverpool and the remarkable bravery shown by the police and other emergency services.
'They are supporting and caring for those injured in these terrible events.
'Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror.
'The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times.