A tragic teenage crash victim had found his “first love” before he was killed while waiting for a bus.
Joe Scott, 19, had been waiting at a bus stop with his girlfriend Abi-Leigh Ross when they were both struck by a car.
The couple had become “inseparable” before the tragedy in West Denton, Newcastle.
While Abi, also 19, suffered a serious injury to her leg in the crash, nothing could be done to save Joe who was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 21-year-old man arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving remains under investigation.
And today, as the the probe continues, Abi’s mum has told how the crash had robbed her daughter of her “first love”.
Tina Ross told ChronicleLive: “They were inseparable and they were each other’s first love.”
Joe and Abi met when they were both students at Kenton High School and became good friends. But in the summer of 2022 their friendship blossomed into romance.
The couple had been at Abi’s family home, in West Denton, on Sunday before leaving to catch the bus to go to the gym. But instead of waiting at the closest stop they decided to walk to McDonald’s so Joe could buy his girlfriend a Happy Meal as she was collecting the free Squishmallow toys.
They were waiting at the stop nearest the takeaway, at around 4pm, when a grey BMW collided with the bus stop. Another woman who was at the bus stop was also injured, but not seriously.
Tina, 45, discovered what had happened when she received a call from a stranger who was using her daughter’s phone and told her Abi had been in an accident.
Tina and Abi’s dad, Lee, raced to the bus stop where they saw Abi lying injured on the ground.
“I just got in the car and went there,” Tina explained. “There were loads of police cars there, it was like a murder scene. Then I saw Abi on the floor. She was just in a state of shock. I said ‘where’s Joe?’ and she said ‘He’s dead.’ But I just didn’t believe it.”
Abi was taken to hospital where she needed surgery to repair her shattered leg. “I think her leg took the impact and her leg exploded. She was put into critical care,” said Tina. “They have had to stitch her muscle together.”
Abi, who is a retail apprentice at Savers, was discharged from hospital on Friday night and is now recovering at home. As shop assistant Tina supports her daughter’s recovery she is also mourning the loss of Joe, from Blakelaw, who had become like part of her family. “He was totally amazing,” she said. “He was lovely, his manners and everything.”
Mum-of-two Tina said Joe, who worked at Specsavers, and Abi had recently enjoyed their first holiday together, and that smitten Joe had been spending most of his time at his girlfriend’s home.
But she is thankful for her daughter’s close group of friends who have been visiting her in hospital and trying to keep her spirits up. She added: “She has a massive friendship group. They are keeping her going.”
