Watford stabbing: Teenager arrested after man ‘fatally stabbed during fight after three-car crash’

Another man with stab wounds was also taken to hospital for treatment

Luke O’Connell died in Watford in the early hours of Saturday morning

A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was stabbed to death in a fight that followed a three-car crash in Watford.

Responding to a call shortly before 3am on Saturday, Hertfordshire police found Luke O’Connell, a 27-year-old from Watford, with stab wounds in Gammons Lane, at the junction on Leavesden Road, in the northern part of town.

Mr O’Connell was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead on Saturday.

Officers also found another man with a stab wound to his arm in St George’s Road, just a few hundred yards away. The man was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police believe the two stabbings are related and cordoned off both scenes in the early hours of Saturday.

The three cars – a grey Volkswagen Golf, a blue Vauxhall Corsa and a black Vauxhall Astra – were all badly damaged.

“As you can imagine, we are absolutely devastated at what has happened to Luke. He had his whole life ahead of him and we are heartbroken,” Mr O’Connell’s mother said in a statement released by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit.

“We would urge anyone who has any information about what happened to Luke to please contact the police in confidence or Crimestoppers anonymously.”

Detective chief inspector Justine Jenkins from the Major Crime Unit confirmed that a 19-year-old man from Watford had been arrested on suspicion of murder and remained in police custody.

“Extensive enquiries are being carried out to help establish the sequence of events,” she said on Saturday. “I would urge any witnesses or anyone with information to get in touch straight away.

“In particular, I would like to hear from anyone who believes they might have dashcam footage of any of the vehicles in Watford overnight on Friday 30 August into this morning.”

She added: “Our thoughts are with the victim’s family at this awful time and they are being supported by specially trained officers.”

Watford chief inspector Matt Phillips said: “I understand this sad news will cause alarm to the local community and I would like to reassure Watford residents that we are working closely with MP Richard Harrington and Watford Borough Council to support anyone who has been affected by this terrible loss of life.”

Police are appealing to anyone who may have seen the cars before the crash that night to call 101 quoting Operation Orient.