Police investigating after numerous people were injured in a road traffic collision near Whitby are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
At around 7.30pm on Saturday 1 September 2012 a Nissan Quashqui was travelling along the A171 in the direction of Whitby when it was confronted by a blue Vauxhall Astra travelling in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the road, outside Calais House Farm.
The driver of the Quashquai was forced to swerve towards the centre of the road and, as a result, collided with a black Vauxhall Zafira.
The impact of the collision caused the Zafira, containing seven people, to overturn.
The Astra did not stop at the scene of the collision.
One of the occupants of the Zafira, a 19-year-old woman from the Cleveland area, sustained a fractured leg in the incident and was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital for treatment.
The driver of the Zafira, a 46-year-old man from Stockton, sustained minor injuries in the collision, as did two other passengers in the vehicle.
The other three passengers were checked by paramedics at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.
The driver of the Quashqui, a 65-year-old man from Saltburn-by-the-Sea, suffered minor injuries in the collision. The only passenger in the vehicle, a 59-year-old woman also from Saltburn, was taken by ambulance to James Cook Hospital where she was treated for minor chest injuries.
Officers are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them with information.
Traffic Constable Gareth Gilleard, of Scarborough Road Policing Group, said:
Fortunately, nobody was critically injured in this collision which could quite easily have proved fatal.
Numerous people were injured in the incident and it is important that we trace the driver of the Astra, who we believe to be a young man, as soon as possible.
I am appealing to the driver directly, to come forward and help us with the investigation.
I am also appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision or knows the identity of the Astra driver, to get in touch.
Anyone who can help officers with their enquiries is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 – select option 2 – and ask for Gareth Gilleard or Scarborough Road Policing Group.
Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
