A grieving family have paid tribute to their brother after he sadly died in a suspected hit-and-run in Gateshead this week.
Paul Dean Sammons, who lived in Teams, passed away on Wednesday after he was hit by a car outside Malla’s Sizzling Snacks in the Dunston Enterprise Park.
The driver of the Renault Megane drove away from the scene and Paul, 31, was later sadly pronounced dead despite the efforts of paramedics.
Police launched an investigation and have been treating the incident as murder after it was alleged the car was driven at Paul in a deliberate act.
Seven people were arrested in the aftermath of the collision and a 36-year-old man has since been charged with Paul’s murder.
Today (Friday) Paul’s siblings have paid tribute to their older brother and said he had a “massive heart and a massive personality”.
They said: “Paul had a huge passion for music. Anything with a loud bass and something he could dance to he loved.
“He had many nicknames but was known to many as ‘Sammons’. He was a one in a million brother, son, uncle and dad who always put his family before himself.
“Paul was the life and soul of any party and always lit the room up as soon as he stepped into it. He lived his life to the fullest and he left the world with no regrets.
“He will be missed by all those who knew him and the North East have lost an amazing individual. Michele, Craig, Nicola, Callum and the rest of the family will cherish the memories they made close to their heart.
“Paul would be described as being a unique individual, someone with a massive heart and a massive personality. He was loyal, funny, annoying and loved by many.
“We would ask that the public respect our privacy at this difficult time.”
Paul Mallaby, 36, of Ouston, County Durham, has been charged with the murder of Paul Sammons and was due to appear at South Tyneside Magistrates this morning (Friday).
Five other men and one woman were also arrested. The woman and one man have been released with no further action while four men have been released under investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is continued to be asked to contact officers online at the Northumbria Police website quoting reference number 179 160920.
You can also call 101 or independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
