A young mother has been identified as the victim of a suspected hit-and-run murder after the e-bike she was riding as a passenger was struck by a Land Rover.
Alana Armstrong, 25, sustained ‘catastrophic’ injuries when the off-roader hit her off the bike in Pleasley, near Mansfield, on Tuesday evening. Her boyfriend, who was riding the e-bike, had to undergo leg amputation due to injuries from the incident.
She was the mother of a six-year-old boy who now faces trying to comprehend her sudden loss with Christmas just weeks away.
Two people were arrested but have now been discounted from the murder investigation.
Police have disclosed additional information about the incident and are seeking details concerning the vehicle involved, described as a dark-colored 4×4 suspected to be a Land Rover Discovery. The vehicle fled the scene following the altercation.
Chief Superintendent Dave Kirby, of Derbyshire Police, said: ‘Alana was just 25 – and a mum to a six-year-old boy.
‘Her little boy, along with her wider family, will never get the chance to see her again, hug her again, spend Christmas together, or celebrate all those milestones.
‘My thoughts, as well as those of the whole force and community, are with them at this time.’
He said the Land Rover which rammed the e-bike on which Ms Armstrong was riding pillion at about 8pm had moments earlier pursued it and another bike through the village of Pleasley.
Afterwards it drove off up Batley Lane and onto Rowthorne Lane without stopping, with the last known sighting of it turning right onto the A617 towards New Houghton.
‘Since Tuesday a team of detectives have been working non-stop, searching the site where Alana was killed, conducting house-to-house enquiries, and scouring CCTV in the area,’ Chief Superintendent Kirby said.
‘Two people who were arrested in connection with the incident have now been released without charge – and have been discounted from our investigation.
‘We have already received a significant amount of information from the public and I want to thank everyone who has come forward already to help our investigation.
‘However, I know that there is more information out – and there are people who know who the person responsible is.
‘Specifically, we know that there were two people in the Land Rover Discovery, that was manufactured between 2004 and 2009, that night – a man driving the vehicle and woman in the passenger seat.
‘We urgently want to hear from anyone who may know those two people, who has seen a Land Rover Discovery that may have damage to its front end – or who knows of a vehicle matching that description that may have been recently repaired or had parts replaced.
‘We also really want to speak to anyone who may have CCTV – in particular along the A617 from this junction heading towards New Houghton.
‘Finally – I want to return to Alana.
‘As an officer, as a member of the local community, and as a father, I am devastated for her little boy, her family, and her friends and we will do all we can to find those responsible.’
Ms Armstrong lived in nearby Tibshelf and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her family are being supported by specialist officers.
The rider of the bike on which she was a passenger, a man in his 20s, was taken to hospital and has since had to have his leg amputated below the knee.
Two people, a man and a woman both in their 30s from the Skegby area of Nottinghamshire, who were arrested in connection with the incident have been released without charge and have been ruled out of our investigation.
Friends paid tribute to Alana on social media with one writing: ‘Absolutely heartbreaking when this happens to people you know. Such a lovely couple, such a sad thing to happen.’
One local resident, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Police have been knocking on doors asking for doorbell footage of the Land Rover.
‘The couple lived in Tibshelf and had been together about three years. We’ve been told the boyfriend is in a bad way in hospital too and had his legs amputated.
‘But we’ve no idea what happened or what they were doing out there. It’s really sad what’s happened.’
