A man says he’s been left to “play detective” and is too afraid to go into town after being hit by a car in Huddersfield.
Johnny Aitken, 67, has been left worried and scared to go into town after being hit by a car on Saturday, January 4, while he was walking to the bus stop to get home with his hands full of shopping.
Johnny claims that he was walking on the pebbledash on Upperhead Row near the station when he was hit from behind by a yellow car around 3pm. He said: “I was walking slowly on the path, due to my arthritis and it had hit me from behind.
“I was not even on the road, so there should have been no reason it was on the path. I waited 30 seconds to see if the vehicle driver would get out and check if I was ok but they drove off instead.”
Finally home but left with a sore leg, he later contacted the police but claims he was left furious when he was allegedly told to find evidence himself as they ‘refused to track down the car’.
He said: “I was furious that they told me to go and gather CCTV evidence from businesses around the bus stop – which is their job. I just felt like saying to the police, ‘give me your uniform and I will do your job for you’.
“They refused to track the car on the cameras and I couldn’t give them the registration number as it sped off. The police station is only a five-minute walk to the station, so they could have walked down and asked businesses or anyone who saw what happened.
“I had to turn into a detective and approach a few shops who would have the footage of the incident only to be told that the police had to ask for it themselves. Police have told me that they will call back in eight days to see how I get on but I don’t have much else to say to them. I haven’t been back into town since as it was a big shock.”
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: ” Shortly before 4pm on Saturday 4th January, police received a report of a collision involving a pedestrian on Upperhead Row, Huddersfield.
“The incident had occurred earlier in the day at around 3pm, near to Huddersfield Bus Station, when the victim was hit from behind by a bright yellow car which then left the scene.
“He suffered a minor leg injury in the incident and did not require hospital treatment. Enquiries are ongoing into the incident and we are reviewing our handling of the report which was made.
“Anyone who saw what happened or has any further information, or footage of the collision itself, is asked to contact the West Yorkshire Police Roads Policing Unit.”
Those with information can call 101 and reference crime number 13250006938.
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