Caring Emma died helping an injured dog on a busy road; ANIMAL-LOVING 21-YEAR-OLD WAS FATALLY STRUCK BY A PASSING CAR

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Sept 26, 2008

Byline: By LAURA CAROE

HER love for animals cost Emma Cragen her life.

Emma went to the aid of an injured dog after the car in which she was a passenger hit it on the Great North Road, Newcastle.

But as the 21-year-old, of Forest Hall, North Tyneside, tried to help, she was hit by a passing car and killed, an inquest heard.

Friend Darren Witty, who was driving Emma to Sun-derland, said he was shocked after hitting the dog, called Rosie, and they decided to go and see if it was all right.

Holding back tears, he said: "Both Emma and I got out of the car and went to the other side. The dog was still alive but was really badly injured. Emma was trying to call someone for help and I was trying to stop cars hitting the dog.

"I moved far up the road and it was relatively effective. I didn't look back and see Emma until after what happened. I saw a car coming from the overpass so I was going to wave that over.

"The car was coming towards me and didn't make any indication it had seen me. So I moved out of the way."

The road was closed for around three hours as police investigated the incident, which happened after dark on November 19.

The driver stopped at the scene and helped officers with their inquiries.

PC Andy Donald, of Northumbria Police motor patrols, read out a statement by the driver Mukwhinder Phiri.

It said: "I had joined the A167 and taken the slip road to Gosforth. I saw two figures but couldn't describe their clothing.

"They were very close together. It happened so quickly I didn't see."

During a police interview, Mr Phiri described the road conditions as wet and said as soon as he saw the pair he braked.

And PC Kevin Taylor, of the collision investigation unit, added: "All the lighting on the east side of the carriageway was unlit.

"This was down to a electrical fault, however in my observations it didn't overall affect the carriagew a y."

Her parents John and Tracey were too upset to talk about their daughter after the hearing at New- castle Civic Centre. At the time of her death, a neighbour who didn't want to be named, said: "Emma was always lovely. She would always say hello when you saw her in the street. She was very friendly and caring.

"I heard about the accident but I can't believe it's Emma. It is such a waste, she was only young."

Assistant deputy coroner of Newcastle Karen Graham recorded a verdict of accidental death.

She said: "This is a tragic case. Emma made desperate attempts to summon help. Although other vehicles avoided the couple, Mr Phiri was distracted by Darren's car and failed to see the couple before Emma was unavoidable."

CAPTION(S):

MUCH MISSED: Emma Cragen, left, and the scene of the crash, Newcastle's Great North Road on the city centre's outskirts