Teenager who died after being found on Stirlingshire road may be hit-and-run or assault victim

Detectives investigating the death of Dean Geary are treating it as suspicious.

The 19-year-old was found on the A811 Drymen to Gartocharn road in Stirlingshire on Sunday morning.

A member of the public spotted him at 5.30am.

Officers said Mr Geary, from Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, was in Glasgow city centre shortly before 3am where they believe he got into what he believed was a taxi.

Police said they were still appealing for the driver of the car to contact them.

Officers said they were also investigating whether Mr Geary's injuries were caused by an assault or by a vehicle.

The death is now being treated as suspicious following a post-mortem.

Detective Chief Inspector Willie Cravens, of Central Scotland Police, said: "A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday which revealed Dean suffered serious head injuries.

"We are investigating a number of possible causes as to how he sustained them including being struck by a vehicle or assaulted.

"As a result we are obviously extremely keen to speak to anyone who has any knowledge at all of Dean being in the area on Sunday morning.

"We are keen to hear from anybody who may have been using the A811 between Drymen and Balloch between 3.30am and 5.30am on Sunday.

"They may have been walking, driving or a passenger in a vehicle. They may even know of somebody who uses that route."

"Any piece of information, no matter how irrelevant it may seem, should be given to us as it may be crucially important."

Police are still trying to establish Mr Geary's movements between Glasgow's George Square area and the spot on the A811 where he was found.

Mr Cravens said: "We know he was in the area near George Square around 2.40am. He contacted a friend a while later and said he was in a vehicle, which he believed to be a taxi.

"We still need to trace that person and appeal for them to contact us."