At 10am today (Monday, January 13), officers from North Yorkshire Police and staff joined together outside police stations across the county to pay their respects to PC Rosie Prior, who was killed in a crash on Saturday (January 11).
At about 8.55am, PC Prior, a response officer based in York, was hit by a heavy goods vehicle on the A19 at Bagby, near Thirsk, after she had pulled over to help other motorists who had been in an earlier, separate collision between a black Ford Focus and a silver Audi car.
Police officers pay their respects to PC Rosie Prior (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) As PC Prior plus the driver and passenger from a silver Audi were stood on the verge of the road, an approaching heavy goods vehicle (HGV) collided with them.
PC Prior, 45, and the driver of the Audi, Ryan Welford, 41, from Knaresborough, died at the scene.
A teenage boy from the Audi is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
PC Rosie Prior (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) The driver of the HGV, a 65-year-old man from Berwick-upon-Tweed, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He has been released under investigation.
Following the fatal collision, tributes have been paid to PC Prior and Mr Welford.
At North Yorkshire Police’s Headquarters in Northallerton today, Chief Constable Tim Forber made an address, followed by a minute’s silence before a reading from force Chaplain, Reverend Philip Rogerson.
PC Rosie Prior (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) In a separate tribute released over the weekend, Chief Constable Forber said: “It is with profound sadness to confirm the death of PC Rosie Prior on Saturday morning who was tragically killed while helping at the scene of a separate collision on the A19 near Bagby.
“We are doing everything we can to support Rosie’s family, along with the family of a man who was also tragically killed in the incident.
Ryan Welford (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) “This is a deeply traumatic and heartbreaking event for everyone involved and we ask that the two families are left alone to grieve in peace. They do not want any media outlets to contact or approach them.
“Rosie’s response team colleagues in York, and from around the force, are being supported at this extremely difficult time.”
At force Headquarters in Northallerton, Chief Constable Tim Forber made an address. This was followed by a minute’s silence before a reading from our force Chaplain, the REV Philip Rogerson (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) PC Prior joined North Yorkshire Police as a student officer in May 2022.
Her family described PC Prior as “a loving mum, wife, daughter, sister, aunty and will be deeply missed”.
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Mr Welford’s family also has issued a tribute to their loved one, by saying: “Ryan was a hardworking and loving father, husband, son and brother. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.”
Alongside the tributes, North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash to get in touch.
The Major Collision Investigation Team is urging witnesses to either of the two collisions and motorists with relevant dashcam footage, to contact them by emailing mcit@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference number 12250006038.