This is the Wigan woman killed in an alleged hit-and-run road smash

This is the popular woman killed in an alleged hit-and-run road smash in Wigan on Saturday evening.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Donna Barrow-Jones, a respected counsellor and psychotherapist, was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision outside Wigan Infirmary, Wigan Lane.

A man has now been arrested and charged in connection with the tragedy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Nezar Abukhrais appeared before Wigan and Leigh magistrates on Wednesday to face a number of charges including causing the 53-year-old pedestrian’s death by driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after an accident.

The 35-year-old Libyan national from Shipton Street, Bolton, is also charged with failing to report an accident and two counts of driving a Hyundai i40 without a licence: once on the day of the crash and another - also on Wigan Lane - two days earlier.

It is understood that Ms Barrow-Jones was crossing the road with her husband Howard when the collision occurred and that her partner was lucky also not to have been seriously injured.

Ms Barrow-Jones gave a brief interview to the Wigan Post in 2012 for one of its Our Workplace features when she was working a the Bridgeman Centre in Wigan, explaining that she specialised in counselling, especially in couples therapy, stress, bereavement, family issues and domestic violence.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At court bail was refused and Abukhrais was remanded in custody pending a first appearance before a Bolton Crown Court judge on December 24.

Ms Barrow-Jones was fatally injured in a collision shortly before 8.50pm on Saturday.

Floral tributes have now been placed at the scene.

Shortly after the tragedy Sgt Andrew Page, of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “A woman has tragically lost her life and we are doing all we can to support her family who are understandably devastated by what happened.”

Police are still appealing for witnesses and information about the incident.

Anyone with details should call GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 846 4741, quoting incident number 3029 of 23/11/2019, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.