M61 crash: Man and woman arrested after girl, 12, dies in hit-and-run on motorway
Sana Patel died in the crash near Chorley, while Lancashire Police said the occupants of a Vauxhall Corsa fled the scene on foot.
Sunday 7 July 2019 20:29, UK
A man and woman have been arrested after a 12-year-old girl died in a hit-and-run on a motorway.
Five other people were injured in the collision involving a Vauxhall Corsa and a Nissan Qashqai on the M61 near Chorley, Lancashire on Saturday night.
Sana Patel, from Blackburn, was a passenger in the Nissan and died at the scene.
The occupants of the Vauxhall fled the scene on foot and Lancashire Police urged them to "search their conscience" and come forward.
In a statement on Sunday evening, the force said a 23-year-old woman from Mirfield in Yorkshire had been arrested on suspicion of death by dangerous driving.
A 28-year-old man from Dewsbury in Yorkshire was later arrested on suspicion of death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.
Both remain in custody.
The collision happened around a mile from junction eight for Chorley at around 10.45pm on Saturday.
The five other people in the Nissan were treated for minor injuries.
In an appeal before the arrests, Superintendent Andy Cribbin, from Lancashire Police, said officers were "working to hard to establish exactly what occurred and to locate the people who were in the Corsa."
"We know the car is registered to an address in West Yorkshire and we are appealing for the driver and any passenger at the time of the collision to make contact with us as soon as possible," he said.
"A 12-year-old girl has tragically lost her life, so we would urge them to search their conscience and do the right thing by contacting us.
"We are also asking anybody who saw the collision, or saw either vehicle in the moments before it happened, to get in touch with us as soon as possible."
Paying tribute to Sana, Supt Cribbin added: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the girl Sana.
"There are no words to describe what they will be going through and we send them our deepest condolences at this incredibly difficult time. They are currently being supported by specialist officers."
The M61 was closed in both directions between junctions six and eight while investigators attended the scene. The motorway was reopened at around 9am on Sunday.
Police have urged anyone with information about the collision to contact them.