Police seek Fiat driver after Old Town suspected hit and run

No through road: Church Road, often an exit route for cars parking in the Surrey Street Q car park, remained closed to traffic this morning, more than 24 hours after the suspected hit and run incident. Pic: Austen Cooper

A stretch of Church Road in Croydon’s Old Town remained closed to traffic this morning, more than 24 hours after what the police are treating as a “serious” hit and run which has left a 51-year-old man in a critical condition in hospital.

“An investigation is underway to establish the full circumstances of the incident,” a Scotland Yard spokesperson told Inside Croydon, without specifying when Church Road would re-open to traffic and pedestrians.

Church Road runs close to Croydon Minster and behind Surrey Street Market. The closure for forensic investigations was being conducted between the BT building Ryland House at the junction with Charles Street and Old Palace Road.

“Detectives are appealing for witnesses following a serious collision,” the Met said today, after officers were called at half-past midnight on Wednesday “to reports of a collision on Rozel Terrace, Church Road.

“Officers attended the scene and found a 51‑year‑old man who had been struck by a car, which did not stop at the scene. He sustained significant injuries and was taken to hospital, where he continues to receive treatment. He remains in a critical condition.”

Detective Superintendent Ryan Green, who is leading the investigation, said: “Anyone who witnessed the collision, or who saw a black Fiat 500 being driven in the Croydon area in the early hours of Wednesday, 18 March, is urged to come forward.

“We are particularly keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage, CCTV, or doorbell video from the area.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting CAD226/18March.


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