Darlington crash victim had been missing for a week

Darren Stephenson-Bennett, aged 28 from Newton Aycliffe died after the crash on the roundabout at the junction of the A68 and A1.

Published 6th Sep 2016

A man who died after a crash on a roundabout near Darlington has been formally identified.

Police say he was Darren Stephenson-Bennett, aged 28 from Newton Aycliffe.

His car left the road and crashed on a roundabout at the junction of the A68 and A1(M) near Darlington, and it's thought the crash could have lain undiscovered for a several days.

His car was found on Saturday morning, 3 Sept embedded in the undergrowth at the centre of the roundabout. It's thought the crash could have happened several days before the car was found.

Darren was last seen the previous Saturday evening, 27 Aug and was reported missing to police the following Tuesday, 30 Aug. Police enquiries into the collision are continuing.

His family have released the following statement:

“Darren was a much-loved husband, father, son and brother who was devoted to his family and his daughters.

“Darren was a popular person who would do anything for anybody. He was well-liked by all who knew him, extremely laid back and easy going, and no-one had a bad word to say about him.”