Tributes to ‘gentleman’ who died in road collision

By Philip Bradfield
Published 14th Nov 2022, 07:43 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
Police have named a pedestrian who was killed in a road traffic collision in Portrush as 58-year-old Michael McCormick from Coleraine.

The collision happened in the early hours of Saturday morning. The PSNI first appealed for witnesses on Saturday afternoon, but issued a renewed appeal for information yesterday morning.

PSNI Detective Sergeant Gardiner said: “Michael McCormick, who was from the Coleraine area, was a pedestrian and sadly died at the scene as a result of the road traffic collision.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We received a report of the collision at around 2.15am in the Atlantic Road area. One woman, aged in her 30s, was arrested but she has since been released on police bail to allow for further police inquiries.

Police said 58-year-old Michael McCormick, a pedestrian from Coleraine, died after a collision in the Atlantic Road area of Portrush. Photo: Google maps.Police said 58-year-old Michael McCormick, a pedestrian from Coleraine, died after a collision in the Atlantic Road area of Portrush. Photo: Google maps.
Police said 58-year-old Michael McCormick, a pedestrian from Coleraine, died after a collision in the Atlantic Road area of Portrush. Photo: Google maps.

“We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time, around 2.15am on Saturday morning, or who may have any dash cam footage from the Atlantic Road before or after the time of the collision, or any information which can assist us, to contact 101, and quote reference number 180 of 12/11/22.”

Police said that ambulance staff attended with them, but that Mr McCormick died at the scene from his injuries.

Dozens of people paid tribute to Mr McCormick on Facebook, many calling him “quiet” and “a gentleman”. Chris McDowell said he would be "sadly missed by all who knew him" while Dawn Dickson said he was "a lovely man".

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Robert Downes said he would have "good memories of all your time in the 147 [snooker club] – you were a gentleman to us all”. May Millen described him as "my good friend" and added: "What good times we had in Ballysally".

Michelle Thompson, meanwhile, described him as "one of the best" while Ivan McDowell added: "What a lovely fella you were – [you] will be sadly missed". Carol Gaston said he was "always smiling [and] stopping to have a chat" adding that she was "thinking of all your family and your wee son".

Donna Young also described him as "a lovely man" while Laura Connor said of him that he was a "gentleman" and that he "would never have passed you without a smile". Michael A Hutchinson, added that the “quiet man” was "another Killowen Heights man taken too soon".