Three men in their 20s are wanted by police over the death of a young pedestrian – Ashton Kitchen-White was described as “one in a million” by his devastated family
Detectives have named three men wanted over the death of a teenager described as “one in a million” by his heartbroken family.
Ashton Kitchen-White, 19, who had dreams of becoming a doctor, was killed in a hit-and-run on Friday evening. He died after he was hit by a red Ford Focus as he was crossing Middleton Ring Road in Beeston Park, Leeds.
Police are asking the public to help track down the trio, suspected of being involved in the ‘fail-to-stop collision’. They are aged between 24 and 26 and come from Scotland and Cornwall. It is thought they had all returned to these areas after the collision.
West Yorkshire Police warned it was not a time for putting “misguided loyalty” ahead of the “heartbreak” of Ashton’s family.
They said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon: “Detectives have named three men who are wanted over the fail-to-stop collision in Leeds in which 19 year old Ashton Kitchen-White was killed. The men are from Scotland and Cornwall and officers are appealing for the help of the public in those areas.”
Ashton was fatally injured when he was struck by a red Ford Focus in Ring Road Beeston Park, Middleton, at about 10.09pm on Friday, May 16th .
The Ford Focus failed to stop at the scene and was later recovered nearby. Two males, aged 19 and 15, were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and later released on police bail. They are now no longer being treated as suspects and have been released from their bail.
Enquiries by West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collision Enquiry Team have shown the Ford Focus had travelled from Scotland to Leeds just shortly before the collision.
Officers said they are now naming Regan Kemp and Macauley Martin, both aged 26, and Liam Miller, aged 24, as three suspects they urgently want to trace over the incident.
Their statement said Kemp is from St Just in Penzance, Martin from Livingston in West Lothian and Miller from Polbeth in West Lothian. They said all are believed to have returned to those areas following the collision.
Ashton’s family had previously told of their “sheer devastation” after he was killed. They said: “Although his life was cruelly taken from us he will always be remembered for the absolutely beautiful soul that he was. Ashton was indeed one in a million. Loved by all his family and friends alike and adored by his brother and two sisters. At 19 he was about to embark on his journey to become a doctor at Leeds University. He loved going to the gym and combat sports.
“The family would like to thank everyone for their support and outpouring of love and ask that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.”
Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said: “Ashton was clearly a much-loved and popular young man with a bright future ahead of him, and his family have been left absolutely devastated by his death in such sudden and senseless circumstances.
“We are determined to do everything we can to get them the answers they need at what remains a really difficult and painful time for them. We urgently need to trace the three men we have named today as suspects.” He urged anyone who has seen any of them to contact them immediately.
“Now is clearly not a time for any misguided sense of loyalty to come above the needs of Ashton’s heartbroken family,” he added.
