Police are appealing for information after a woman was left paralysed from the waist down following a hit and run in south-east London. Chanelle Higgins, 30, spent five months in hospital and now only has limited use of her upper body following the collision shortly before 4:40am on 29 May.
CCTV footage shows a dark grey BMW 3 series colliding with Higgins and her friend after it drove along the pavement on Norwood High Street, SE27, near the Scandals nightclub. The car then fails to stop and continues to drive along the pavement for some distance before finally re-joining the road.
Higgins and her friend were both taken to hospital with their injuries. The impact has left Higgins confined to a wheelchair, while her 29-year-old friend escaped with a minor injury.
Higgins said: This incident has had a massive impact upon my life. Im now in a wheelchair. I cant move my legs and I only have limited usage of my hands. I have spent five whole months lying in a hospital bed, missing my children and wondering what type of future I will be able to have. As a single mother, I was devastated to miss my sons birthday.
That night has changed me in just about every way. Im not the person that I used to be and Im just so unhappy. I used to be active, fit and bubbly. And so independent, I didnt have to rely on anyone. Now I need care 24 hours a day and due to my disability, I cant look after my children by myself and they have to stay with my family.
This is what hurts the most. It has been so painful being away from them yet they are the only thing that keeps me going now.
I spend hours and hours thinking about who did this to me. What type of person could run someone over and leave them for dead? What kind of evil person could do that? I just cant believe that the person is just living their life while Im going through hell. Its just not right.
In a Facebook message posted nearly one month following the collison, she added: No I dont have no one after me, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Police previously arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder on 16 June. He was released on bail to return on a date in December pending further enquiries. CCTV footage of the collision has now been released by officers as part of their ongoing appeal for information.
Police Constable Laura Travers, for Lambeth CID, said:This was a shocking incident. These two women were simply on a night out to see friends and now their lives have changed completely.
From looking at the CCTV footage, there are clearly many people in the street who would have witnessed this incident and could provide vital information about what happened.
I would urge anyone who can assist to have the confidence to come forward and speak to police.
