Woman dies after row over car bump
Jul 10 2007 by Audrey Forbes, The Journal
A WOMAN died yesterday – two days after she was injured in a dispute with a neighbour over a minor traffic collision.
Police were last night investigating the death of retired lollipop lady Wendy Doyle, 61.
It happened after mother-of-two Mrs Doyle and her 28-year-old daughter Hayley were involved in a minor road accident outside her home in Millbank Terrace, Shotton Colliery, County Durham.
Miss Doyle was driving their car when it was involved in a collision with another vehicle as they reversed out of the drive.
No one was injured, but neighbours said last night that the women had believed that a van which was parked in the street had restricted their view.
This, they said, led to an argument with its owner and, during the course of the row, Mrs Doyle fell and struck her head, fracturing her skull.
The incident happened on Saturday evening and she was rushed to the University Hospital of Hartlepool and then transferred to the James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough, but died yesterday.
Police say a 30-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and released on police bail pending further inquiries.
A neighbour said: “I had been out and came back to find the ambulance there.”
The woman, who did not wish to be named, said she had known Mrs Doyle for 10 years, and added: “She was in the car with her daughter, who was reversing out of the driveway and hit someone’s car, or a passing car. I think there was a caravan parked in the street and a neighbour’s van.
“There was some kind of argument over the parked van.”
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “My husband heard arguing but we didn’t know what happened until Sunday when the police cordoned off the street.”
Detective Chief Inspector Mick Nail, from Durham Police, said: “We believe there was a heated dispute between the victim, her daughter and a neighbour, which resulted in the victim being injured.
“She suffered a serious head injury, and we want to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time.”
The owner of the van was not available for comment last night.
