North Yorkshire Police has named the man who died in a crash near Moor Monkton a fortnight ago.

Michael Rowbottom, 89, was involved in a collision on the A59 on Wednesday, August 25.

Mr Rowbottom, who was from York, was driving a red Audi A3 from Green Hammerton towards York when he was involved in a crash with two other vehicles — a black Audi Q5 and a silver Mini — both of which were travelling in the opposite direction.

The accident happened at 5.10pm.

Mr Rowbottom was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.

The driver of the Mini sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Audi Q5 was not hurt.

Before retiring in the early 1990s, Mr Rowbottom was headmaster at English Martyrs’ school in York. He had three children.

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North Yorkshire Police is still appealing for witness or anyone with dash-cam footage that may help with enquiries.

If you have information you can contact Traffic Sergeant Mark Patterson on mark.patterson@northyorkshire.police.uk with reference number 12210188817.

Or call 101, select option 2 and ask for Mark Patterson or Matthew Harvey.

An 89-year-old man has died following a three-vehicle collision on the A59 near Moor Monkton yesterday.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage of the crash, which took place at about 5.10pm and led to lengthy tailbacks.

The 89-year-old man, who has not been named, was driving a red Audi A3 towards York. The man, who was from York, was taken to hospital and died.

A black Audi Q5 and a silver Mini, which were travelling in the opposite direction towards Harrogate, were also involved in the incident.

The driver of the Mini sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Audi Q5 was uninjured.

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• Police close road near Green Hammerton after serious crash
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North Yorkshire Police is appealing to anyone travelling along the A59 in both directions who has not already spoken to the police to contact them if they saw any of the vehicles prior to the collision or if they witnessed the incident.

Anyone with information, or dashcam footage, can contact Traffic Sergeant Mark Patterson via email at mark.patterson@northyorkshire.police.uk, or call 101, select option 2 and ask for Mark Patterson or Matthew Harvey.

North Yorkshire Police closed the A59 near Green Hammerton after a serious crash this evening.

The force reported the crash, which led to long delays, at about 7pm this evening.

At this stage it is unclear how many vehicles were involved and the extent of any injuries.

Motorists have been warned to avoid the area while the emergency services deal with the incident.

A spokesperson for the police said:

“We’re currently at the scene of a serious collision on the A59 at Green Hammerton.

“The road is currently closed and diversions are in progress.

“There is likely to be some disruption for some time. Please avoid the area whilst emergency services respond.”

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A Starbeck councillor has called for a notorious junction to be made safer following a car crash on Wednesday.

The collision occurred when a car pulled out of The Avenue onto Starbeck High Street at around midday. Two men were taken to hospital but their injuries are not thought to be serious.

A police officer at the scene told the Stray Ferret collisions are common at the junction due to visibility issues. Cars often park in the lay-by next to the junction and a tree also obscures the view for motorists pulling out.

Liberal Democrat councillor Philip Broadbank, who has represented the area for over 40 years, called on North Yorkshire County Council‘s highways department to take a look at the junction to make it safer.

He said residents in more than 350 homes frequently used The Avenue to get onto the high street.

Cllr Broadbank told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s a problem for people trying to get out as it’s difficult to see. Vision is a problem and it’s dangerous.

“We need to look at the lay-by issue.”

He said there have previously been calls to add traffic lights “but there are enough traffic lights down there”.

He added:

“Its a problem as people get frustrated trying to inch out.”

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Several Stray Ferret readers responded to Wednesday’s story to say the junction was unsafe.

One said:

“Turning out of and into The Avenue is a nightmare. Visibility down toward the level crossing is terrible so you have to edge out.”

Another said:

“The trees need cutting on that junction, you can’t see to go there!”.

Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, said:

“We take our road safety responsibilities seriously and will always act should there be a need to do so.

“In this instance, we await details of the incident from the police, but are unaware of particular safety issues with this junction.

“Care should always be taken when exiting from a side road on to a main road which is always very busy.”

A grandad from Huby probably fell ill moments before his car swerved into an oncoming lorry, an inquest has found.

Basil Fordy died aged 89 on January 8, 2020 in the crash on the A658 Harrogate Road near his village home.

His family attended a delayed inquest yesterday in Northallerton to hear what happened leading up to the crash and the cause of death.

The inquest heard evidence from people who were driving in the area at the time, as well as the driver of the lorry and the police officer who investigated the crash.

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Jonathan Leach, assistant coroner for North Yorkshire, concluded:

“Mr Fordy was making a regular trip to the supermarket but on his way back all of a sudden he drove into the opposing lane.

“In doing so, he was involved in a collision with a lorry travelling in the opposite direction.

“It is apparent from the evidence that the lorry driver took all steps possible to avoid the collision.

“Mr Fordy died from the injuries he sustained in the crash. There were no faults found with the vehicle.

“The only possible reason for the crash is that Mr Fordy suffered a medical episode.”

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Fordy’s daughter Jacqui Goulding told the Stray Ferret:

“I want people to remember Basil for being an amazing dad and a fantastic grandad. He had been through a lot.

“Basil lost two wives through breast cancer but he just had a stiff upper-lip and got on with it really. He was a competent driver.

“We miss him tonnes. I am so sorry it was such a traumatic end for Basil and all the other people who were involved.”

Police were called late last night when a car crashed into a lamppost on Mayfield Grove in Harrogate and the driver and a passenger fled.

A resident woken by the commotion sent these images to the Stray Ferret and described hearing the driver and another man in the vehicle beg passers-by not to call the police before running off.

The driver had tried to reverse the car out of the hedge and grass verge after it hit the lamppost and spun out of control but were unable to do so.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said he was in bed when he heard a loud bang followed by shouting. He added:

“I got up to have a look. A large crowd had gathered and I could hear voices saying ‘don’t call the police’. People were saying ‘why don’t you want us to call the police?’

“The two men then ran down the back roads and one deliberately smashed his phone on the floor. They both legged it.”

The resident said the police arrived 20 minutes later and removed the black VW Golf at about 12.30am this morning.

The lamppost was repaired by the morning.

The resident said Mayfield Grove was notorious for anti-social behaviour and cars with modified exhausts often drove along the road at excessive speeds.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:

“Officers attended reports of a damage-only collision just after 11pm. The driver had left the vehicle, which was recovered by police and enquiries are ongoing.”

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Residents near one of the main house-building sites in Harrogate have called for urgent road safety action after a lorry and car collided.

About 600 homes are due to be built near Kingsley Drive and Kingsley Road.

Kingsley Ward Action Group, which campaigns to protect green spaces in the area, is angry because it claims safety fears are being ignored.

A video showing last week’s collision, which led to the car being written off, prompted the group to write to highways authority North Yorkshire County Council.

The email said:

“We have repeatedly stated that Kingsley Road is not suitable for this type of heavy construction traffic.

“Only luck prevented this being even worse and watching the video should make you grateful you don’t have to risk living on this road.”

The council’s response, seen by the Stray Ferret, says extra traffic is “unavoidable” when developments are being built.

The council added it would “ensure that the concerns of Kingsley Ward Action Group are made known to the housing developers that are currently using hauliers for the movement of bulk materials” but the lack of specific measures has angered the group.

It replied:

“Your response to our grave concerns backed up with hard video proof does not fill us with confidence that you are in fact acting in our interests at all.

“There is a clear danger here.

“From the response we have had to this near tragic incident it is clear only a multiple fatality will actually have any impact on the current truck activity.”

John Hansard, a member of the group, told the Stray Ferret it wanted the council to enforce a 20mph speed limit for site traffic and take tough action against lorries with uncovered loads.

Emily Mellalieu, development management team leader at the council, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are conscious of the disruption to residents that inevitably accompanies large-scale residential development such as that in the Kingsley/Bogs Lane area.

“We are liaising with housing developers in the Kingsley Farm area about the impact of their operations and complaints received from residents, councillors and action groups.

“At all times, we place the highest priority on road safety.

“Concerns raised recently have been forwarded to the developers for their attention and we will continue to work with the developers to ensure operations are undertaken as efficiently and safely as possible.

“The developer was required as part of the planning process to produce a construction management plan to mitigate the impact of its operations.”

A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to almost six years in prison after killing a 62-year-old grandmother in a collision on the A168 near Kirk Deighton.

William Charles Jackson, from Wetherby, appeared in York Crown Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to causing the death of the woman and two further counts of causing serious injury due to dangerous driving.

The victim, Maria Cuzyova, was visiting her family from Slovakia when she was killed in the collision in 2019.

Her daughter, Micheala Young, who was driving, and her son-in-law, Nicholas Young, both suffered life-changing injuries. Their five-year-old daughter suffered minor injuries.

Jackson was driving his red Vauxhall Astra along the A168, between Kirk Deighton and Walshford, at around 10pm on April 3, 2019.

As he approached the crest of a hill, with double solid white lines, between the north and southbound carriageways, he claimed he overtook a slower moving vehicle in front of him.

He said he didn’t see the oncoming vehicle, and his fatal manoeuvre led to a head-on collision with the family’s car.

Jackson was sentenced to five years and eight months’ imprisonment and was banned from driving for seven years and ten months. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190.

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During sentencing, Judge Simon Hickey made reference to a disturbing text message he sent which he said clearly demonstrated a disregard and lack of respect for road safety and other road users.

Mrs Young said her mum was “full of life”. She said the incident had “ripped apart” the family, both in the UK and Slovakia.

Speaking after Jackson was sentenced, senior investigating officer Traffic Sergeant Kirsten Aldridge, from the North Yorkshire Police Major Collision Investigation Team, said:

“Maria had just arrived in the UK to visit her family over half term. They were travelling back home after spending a lovely evening together and should have been all been able to return safely.

“I’d like to thank my colleagues in the Major Collision Investigation Team and Forensic Collision Investigation Unit for their hard work and determination in bringing this case to court and securing justice for the family.

“I hope the sentence also acts as a reminder that a poorly judged manoeuvre or a hastily thought through decision can have devastating, fatal effects. So, please drive safely and with consideration to others at all times.”

An 81-year-old man who was struck by a car in Harrogate yesterday afternoon has died.

North Yorkshire Police say the victim was crossing the road from The Woodlands Hotel pub towards Hookstone Chase just before 5pm when the crash happened.

An ambulance took him to hospital, where he later died.

Officers closed off the road near to the Esso garage for several hours while they carried out their investigations on Thursday.

It reopened later at around 1am this morning.

The crash involved a grey Audi A3 that was travelling down Wetherby Road out of the town centre.

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Police say the 35-year-old driver of the Audi is assisting them with their enquiries. The force did not say whether it had made any arrests.

North Yorkshire Police has asked witnesses or anyone with dash-cam footage to call on 101 and quote 12210053250.

Alternatively, if you would like to speak anonymously then call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police and ambulances are responding after a pedestrian was involved in a collision near the Woodlands pub on Wetherby Road in Harrogate.

The Esso filling station at the junction with Hookstone Drive has been cordoned off and traffic is unable to head out of town on Wetherby Road.

A car has also been cordoned off.

North Yorkshire Police tweeted minutes ago to say the collision, involving a pedestrian, occurred just before 5pm.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Emergency services are currently dealing with a serious collision involving a pedestrian on Hookstone Chase at #Harrogate, near to the Esso garage on Wetherby Road. It happened just before 5pm. Please follow diversions and avoid area until further notice. pic.twitter.com/dTeuhtdvna

— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) February 4, 2021

Numerous police and ambulance vehicles are present and traffic diversions are in place.

North Yorkshire Police has asked witnesses or anyone with dash-cam footage to call on 101, select option 1, and speak to the force control room. Quote reference number NYP-04022021-0279.