A 26-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder following a serious collision in Westcliff-on-Sea that left a pedestrian in a critical condition.
James Wallace, of no fixed address, faces charges of attempted murder and handling stolen goods following the incident on Crowstone Road, near Chalkwell Park, at approximately 7:30am on Thursday, 16 April 2026. According to Essex Police, the collision involved a white Mercedes C-Class that left the scene immediately after striking a 50-year-old man.
The victim, a 50-year-old man from Essex, remains in critical condition in hospital. Authorities confirmed that the vehicle involved in the collision had been stolen from an address on Sutton Road at approximately 1am that same morning, about six hours before the incident occurred.
Following his arrest, Wallace has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on 20 April 2026. In response to the event, neighbourhood teams are currently conducting increased patrols in the area to provide reassurance to the local community.
Southend-on-Sea City Council cabinet member for community safety and regulatory services, Councillor Martin Terry, expressed concern regarding the collision, noting that it follows a series of recent road incidents in the city that have raised worries among residents.
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