A MAN from South Tyneside has been charged with being the driver in a hit and run that left a woman seriously injured.
Michael Walton, of Highfield Road, South Shields, is accused of being responsible for two crashes in Newcastle last week.
Police are still appealing for witnesses to the smashes, which left a 29-year-old woman injured and a car damaged.
She was hit by a car at 3.07pm on Thursday in Claremont Road and suffered injures which the police say are serious.
About 10 minutes later, a silver Rover MG ZA hit a parked car in Benton Road, Longbenton.
Walton was at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court facing charges causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving a motor vehicle while unfit, driving without insurance and failure to stop after an accident.
The 50-year-old also faces charges of failure to report an accident, driving otherwise than in accordance with his licence, failure to comply, obstruction of a police officer and failure to provide a sample to an officer.
He entered no pleas and will be back in court on May 3, when the case will be transferred to Newcastle Crown Court. He was granted unconditional bail until then.