Liverpool crash suspect's neighbours tell of horror as they say 'it doesn't make sense'
Neighbours have been left in shock as the man suspected of causing the Liverpool victory parade crash, which left nearly 80 injured, is described as a 'nice family' bloke.
Locals from the quiet cul-de-sac where the suspect resides with his wife and three young sons expressed their disbelief to the Mirror, saying: "It just doesn't make sense." The 53 year old man from West Derby was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and drug-driving, with Merseyside Police confirming the number of casualties has climbed to 79, including seven still in hospital.
The jubilant scenes for Liverpool FC's title-winning parade were shattered on Monday evening when a Ford Galaxy careered into revellers in the city centre, sending fans flying and prams hurtling down Water Street in terrifying footage. As police maintained a presence outside his £300,000 four-bedroom house, the suspect's identity became known, although the Mirror has opted not to reveal his name, reports the Mirror.
A neighbour recounted: "It seems completely out of character. They are such a nice family, the boys 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."
(Image: AP)
The suspect, a former director of two companies, can be seen in affectionate snaps on social media, enjoying family holidays abroad and festive gatherings. Another local resident shared their shock when they saw police swarm their peaceful cul-de-sac on Monday.
They had made light-hearted comments about a neighbour being the suspect, only to be horrified when he was indeed arrested. "We turned in and there were three or four police cars at the top of our road and we just said 'Blimey, imagine if he is on our road' and that was it and now we are gobsmacked."
Police are anticipated to charge the suspect soon. The force has not disclosed what substances they suspect the driver had consumed.
In an update today, Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson stated: "I'm pleased to say that the number of people in hospital is reducing as they continue to recover from this dreadful incident.
"We continue to support those still receiving treatment and as part of our ongoing enquiries we are identifying more individuals who were injured.
"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***"
Among the injured was new father Daniel Eveson, who feared his small family were "going to die" when his son's pram was dragged 15ft in the chaos. The shaken dad, aged 36, said the driver was screaming and appeared "delirious" after fans pulled him from behind the wheel to prevent him from causing further harm.
"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, Shrops, 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'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 The Mirror.
He recounted how his fiancée Sheree Aldridge, 36, is also "getting better" following the terrifying incident which saw her leg ran over by the car, leading to muscle and tissue damage as well as lacerations. Describing the harrowing moment, he revealed: "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 continued, emotionally breaking down and expressing: "Oh my God it was just horrible. I just want justice."
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