Sister says hit-and-run appeal is 'a year too late'

A woman whose brother suffered "catastrophic" injuries after being struck by a driver who fled the scene said police should have asked for the public's help in finding the suspect sooner.

Pedestrian Joe Luccarini, 32, was left lying in the road "like an animal" with a broken neck after being hit by a car in Haverhill, Suffolk, 19 months ago in August 2024.

After six months, and having not made an arrest, Suffolk Police closed its investigation into the hit-and-run incident, before reopening it last September.

Officers have now released details of a man they want to speak to in connection with the crash, which Joe's sister Emily Luccarini said she was "happy" about but felt it was "a bit late".

"The police knew all along of the serious injuries my brother sustained and the catastrophic psychological impact the incident has had on him," said the 34-year-old.

"I am glad and happy, but I do think the appeal should have gone out a year ago – it makes me feel very sad and very let down by a system that's meant to support us."

The collision happened between 23:15 BST and 23:30 on 12 August 2024 on Ehringhausen Way - and involved a red Nissan Micra.

The driver left the scene but Joe was eventually taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with a neck fracture, before being discharged three days later.

Now, 19 months on, the police want to talk to 29-year-old Dzhemal Dzhemal, who was living in Haverhill at the time but is now understood to be living in London.

The force had closed the case due to a six-month time limit on taking fail-to-stop incidents to court, before deciding to reopen it.

It said it had reconsidered the "psychological impact" the incident would have had on Joe, who was now "heavily reliant" on pain medication, according to his sister.

"He suffers tremendous daily pain, nerve damage and muscle weakness, and all the things he used to enjoy he can no longer fully do," his sister said.

"And that's just the physical impact - the psychological impact has been catastrophic, and he still hasn't left the house alone since August 2024.

"He was diagnosed with autism and it took us a decade to build his independence, but that's just been wiped away, and he's completely lost all his independence."

The incident was initially considered a summary offence, which must be prosecuted within six months.

Cases that cause serious injury by careless driving, however, do not have a specific statutory time limit for prosecution.

Suffolk Police said it was assessing if what happened to Joe met this criminal threshold.

"That is why I'm currently campaigning for a review around summary offences, because all of it is just a big contradiction," said Emily.

"That blocked Joe from justice - he's unable to get closure and has just been left trapped in pain and psychological torment.

"Failing to stop at the scene of an incident is so broad that it could be clipping a wing mirror or running over a pedestrian, but both those crimes are very different.

"So, I want that look at so there are no flaws or loopholes that block victims from justice."

The county's police and crime commissioner, Tim Passmore, previously said he was "extremely disappointed" with how the case had been handled.

"I'm really sorry and unreservedly apologise that things have not gone as well as they should've done," he told the BBC.

A Department for Transport spokesperson, meanwhile, said road user safety was "a top priority for the government".

"We are considering a range of policies relating to motoring offences as part of our upcoming strategy for road safety - the first in over a decade," they added.

The police urged anyone with information about where Dzhemal may be or who has any information regarding his whereabouts to contact them.

Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.