Witness appeal over club crowd crash

7:29am Monday 4th August 2008

Police are appealing for witnesses after a car ploughed into a crowd outside a nightclub - leaving a man fighting for his life.

Richard Waters, a 52-year-old father of three and grandfather of five, was struck outside The Regal nightclub in Magdalen Road, East Oxford, while collecting his daughters, aged 26 and 29, at 3.30am yesterday.

A witness said a car was heard revving its engine before it collided with the crowd of about 30 clubbers as they were leaving the nightspot.

Mr Waters, a self-employed builder from Ridgeway Road, Risinghurst, suffered severe head injuries.

Last night, he was in a critical condition at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Police believe he was an innocent bystander. Other people are thought to have also been hit by the car, but did not need medical treatment.

A 25-year-old man was last night being held by police on suspicion of attempted murder.

One witness, a father-of-one who asked not be named, said: "It was chaos. There was screaming and shouting. This guy was revving his car outside my house.

"It was unbelievable. You could hear the sound of people hitting the car. Some of them were just innocent people coming out of the club.

"This is a residential area, but last night was like being in New York.

"It was hectic, people were running everywhere and women were screaming."

Police said the collision might have been linked with a fight that erupted inside The Regal earlier in the evening.

Officers were called to reports of 30 people fighting but the nightclub denies there was any violence inside or outside the premises.

Police do not believe Mr Waters was involved in any violence and may have been an innocent bystander.

Det Ch Insp Karen Trego, of Thames Valley Police's major crime unit, said: "The collision followed a disturbance inside the nightclub.

"We are investigating whether a fight that happened inside The Regal last night is connected to the subsequent disturbance outside the club, and I am keen to speak to anyone who may have been in The Regal who witnessed what happened. There were plenty of people around at the time that may have seen the collision, or the fight inside the club, and I urge anyone who may be able to help with our inquiries to come forward."

Police arrested a 25-year-old man after a Renault Megane was found near the incident two hours later.

The Regal's managing director Adam Marsh said last night there was no fight outside the nightclub.

A spokesman added: "The Regal doormen were called to assist in a hit and run incident.

"The Regal management witnessed the events and are working with police.

"Our thoughts are with the victim and his family."

Police want to speak to anyone involved in the fight or who witnessed the incident to call them on 08458 505505 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.