A 19-year-old was arrested last night following the tragic death of a Hyde student hit by a bus while chasing after his stolen mobile phone.
David Mark Schofield, 21, was chasing after a thief along Oxford Road shortly after 11:30pm on Saturday night when he ran into the path of an oncoming double-decker bus.
His family paid tribute to him today in an emotional statement.
They said: “David was enthusiastic and a keen footballer. It was his dream to be a school teacher and was about to start his second year at Liverpool University. He was tragically taken too soon.
“We are heartbroken and miss you. We just want you back.”
Mr Schofield suffered serious head injuries and passed away in Manchester Royal Infirmary on Sunday night.
The 19-year-old was arrested on suspicion of theft, and has since been bailed until 5 October, pending further inquiries.
North Manchester Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson stated: “Tragically, David’s injuries have now proved fatal, and it is now even more important for his family that we establish exactly what happened in the moments leading up to his sad death.”
Greater Manchester Police yesterday released harrowing CCTV footage of the moments leading up to the collision.
The CCTV footage shows a cyclist dressed in a pale hooded top travelling in the wrong direction down a bus lane with Mr Schofield running along the pavement in pursuit.
Mr Schofield appears to stumble as the cyclist swings to the opposite side of the road. With his view of the road apparently obscured by an advertising sign, Mr Schofield runs into the path of a double-decker bus.
Two female eye-witnesses told the bus driver – who stopped immediately to attend to Mr Schofield – that the student had had his mobile phone stolen moments earlier and that he was chasing after the thief when he ran into the road.
The CCTV footage appears to corroborate this chain of events while Mr Schofield’s mobile phone – a white Blackberry – was not recovered from the scene of the accident.
The incident occurred at the junction of Oxford Road and Chester Street, close to the BBC building, and police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward. The police are particularly keen to speak to the two women who originally described the theft to the bus driver who are yet to give their vital evidence to the police.
Anyone with information is asked to call Bradford Park CID on 0161 856 3543 or 3540 or independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
TRAGIC: Schofield (bottom) in pursuit of cyclist thief (pale hooded top) moments before the accident
