Neighbours of Liverpool crash suspect speak out as wife 'found out on TV'
The neighbours of a man arrested over the Liverpool trophy parade horror have spoken out. Around one million Liverpool FC fans lined the city's streets to celebrate their side's Premier League success on Monday.
However, at approximately 6pm, the joyous scenes turned to horror as a Ford Galaxy followed an ambulance into the crowd on Water Street before ploughing into the gathered supporters.
Merseyside Police have reported that 79 individuals were injured in the incident, with seven still hospitalised as of Wednesday afternoon. Among the victims were children.
Authorities have been granted additional time to interrogate a 53-year-old 'white British' man from West Derby, Liverpool, who has been held in custody since Monday evening on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
The suspect's identity came to light as police were stationed outside his £300,000 family home, according to the Mirror. His name cannot currently be disclosed.
Stunned locals described the suspect as being part of a 'nice family', sharing that he resides at home with his children and wife.
One neighbour said: "It seems completely out of character. They are such a nice family, the [children] are really nice and well-behaved.
"[He] is a fantastic guy. He came over to help us when our alarm went off once, and then did the same for our immediate neighbours too.
"It just doesn't make sense. It doesn't feel right. They are lovely. The whole thing is so sad - for his wife and children and also for the people who were injured."
The suspect, believed to be a former company director, can be seen posing in loved-up pictures on social media enjoying overseas family holidays and family parties.
One neighbour also told The Sun: "She [the wife] first realised when she saw it was her car on the telly, when she saw it being driven at the parade. The normal police cars turned up at teatime then Matrix van turned up later that night."
Another neighbour added that when they saw police descend on the quiet cul-de-sac on Monday they had joked about a neighbour being the suspect - only to discover in horror he had been arrested.
They said: "We turned in and there were three or four police cars on the top of our road and we just said 'Oh my God, imagine if he is on our road' and that was it and now we are like s***"."
The suspect is yet to be charged. Merseyside Police has not revealed what drugs they believe the driver had taken.
In an update issued on Wednesday, Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson 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."
Among those injured was new dad Daniel Eveson, who thought his little family were 'going to die' when his son's buggy was dragged 15ft in the carnage.
The traumatised dad, 36, said the driver was screaming and 'delirious' after fans pulled him from behind the wheel to stop him going any further.
Daniel said: "He was just screaming, 'get off, get away.' He seemed delirious, he just seemed like he didn't know where he was. It's a miracle that no one lost their lives."
Daniel, from Telford, Shropshire, added it was nothing short of a 'miracle' that his family survived and has now dubbed his five month old baby boy 'Super Ted' after he escaped completely unscathed.
He added: "He's our miracle. He's 'Super Ted'. I keep crying every time I hold him. I can't believe we've still got him, he didn't even break a finger."
Daniel told how his fiancée Sheree Aldridge, 36, is also 'getting better' after the car ran over her leg, leaving her with muscle and tissue damage and lacerations.
He said: "I basically held the pram but the pram got taken out of my hands and my hands went on the bonnet to try and stop the car. Then Sheree went up on the bonnet and then dropped off and then went under it."
"I looked to my side to see her and she just wasn't there," he said, breaking down in tears and adding: "Oh my God it was just horrible. I just want justice."
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