Two people killed and child seriously injured after car hits family in Ramsgate

Emergency services at the Photo Charlie Purser

Two people have died and a child left seriously injured following a collision in Ramsgate last night (August 10_.

A Black Alfa Romeo was involved in a collision in Leopold Street at 9.35pm, hitting five pedestrians, all members of the same family, including a man in his 80s and a woman in her 30s, understood to be Israeli nationals, who both sadly died a short time afterwards.

A girl of primary school age also suffered serious injuries and has been taken to a London hospital for treatment. A man in his 40s and a boy of primary school age sustained minor injuries.

Photo Charlie Purser

Officers attended and a 30-year-old man from Ramsgate was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of a collision. He is also currently receiving hospital treatment for minor injuries.

Enquiries into the incident are being carried out by officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit who are keen to hear from any witnesses, local businesses with CCTV evidence or drivers with relevant dashcam footage.

According to The Jerusalem Post the Foreign Ministry has confirmed officials received details of the accident and consul head Sima Duvdevani is in contact with the victims’ families.

Please call the appeal line on 01622 798538 quoting reference DS/DGC/090/22.

57 Comments

  1. Absolutely appalling, I was walking past shortly before 10pm and could see paramedics administering CPR to two people in the road. When the driver is found guilty he needs the maximum sentence allowed by the law. Condolences to this poor family.

    • The driving round here has been appalling for a good couple of years now. It was only a matter of time before people’s lives were cost. We have to stop these growing number of people who think it’s okay to drive like they are on a racing track. If you do the speed limit round here it’s not long before you have some angry driver waving their arms or thinking of doing stupid moves.

      You are not hard because you drive like a maniac. You are just an accident waiting to happen

      • I could not agree more. I recently spent a bit of time in Ramsgate due to having located my boat in the Marina for a few weeks. Whilst I’d have good things to say about many aspects, what was less amusing was the cretinous driving (and revving) by a minority of young guys, in some really rather silly looking souped up cars. I think, they thought we should somehow be impressed – but actually we thought they were jerks. This was just waiting to happen…

  2. I hope the judge doesn’t let him of with a smack on the hand ,this man has to do 15 years + .but he won’t he will walk away from this.

  3. The maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving was increased in June this year from 14 years to life so one can only hope that this individual when found guilty gets the latter given the extreme nature of this incident.

    • If only the judges gave the maximum sentence. Unfortunately the useless CPS and out of touch judges are often way too lenient.

      • What do you mean often ? UK judges ALWAYS give the minimum sentence at their disposal. Liberal judges are a criminals best friend and a detriment to the law abiding majority.

  4. The number of road accidents in Thanet is astounding. Thanet had some of the worst accident statistics in Kent and in the UK. Is it just the standard of driving which is the cause?
    Nothing appears to be done about accident blackspots, Ramsgate and Margate road, and I haven’t seen any analysis of causes and cures. We cannot allow people in our community to be killed and injured daily and must suggest a blanket 20mph limit across Thanet, rigourously enforced until such time that we have a solution to the slaughter of our families. Purge Thanet of ALL untaxed and uninsured vehicles and use the sale proceeds towards safer roads. No licence,5 year ban. Let’s really tackle this dreadful problem. Improving bus services can get more drivers off the road

    • All very well Mike but speed limits go uninformed. Fixed cameras and mobile police units are OK but, what is required is increased Police Traffic patrols who enforce some of the appalling driving ( and riding) we all regularly witness.

      • Chris you are correct. Dedicated traffic patrols are required to control the appalling driving standards we witness on a daily basis .
        There was a well trained and equipped Traffic Unit based at Broadstairs, who patrolled 24/7 , but they were disbanded.. Never replaced , token operations for a couple of hours every few months is totally ineffective and inefficient…
        2 Fatal Collisions in 2 days is completely unacceptable..
        Proper patrolling is the best option to reduce this carnage ..Urgent representations to the Chief Constable and his Commissioner need to be made..
        But that won’t console the bereaved, however it may go a long way towards preventing further carnage ..

      • If driving bans were accompanied by a suspended labour camp sentence of the same duration to be automatically be activated if detected breaching the ban, direct to gaol without further ado, we might see some concentrating of minds.

    • Agree, We could have 20mph limits in our built-up areas (including our villages), ANPR cameras, citizen speed camera teams, road furniture, etc.
      Who’s up for a campaign?

    • One place there needs to be a 20mph limit imposed with speed cameras is northdown road
      So many pedestrians around, but people speeding through being a straight road

      • And given you say people are speeding over the existing 30mph limit , why on earth do you think they’ll respect a lower limit? Arguably it may encourage even worse driving as some overtake those doing 20mph. The best thing you could do in Northdown road is put the bus stops back into lay-bys rather than the so called “calming measure” of stopping in the road which ends up in people undertaking risky passing manoeuvres.
        This endless fixation with curtailing the movements of the majority of law abiding motorists rather than dealing with those that cause the problems is beyond me , it achieves very little.

        • Well said LC. The 20 is plenty brigade are too dense to realise that the bad drivers breaking the current 30 mph limits will still drive just as fast and ignore the draconian 20mph limit. The 20 is plenty brigade will only punish the law abiding majority with their blanket speeding limits and increase all of our journey times and for anyone that does have to travel to work will see their precious time with their families cut even shorter.
          The only way to get the bad drivers off our roads is for the police to actually enforce the current speed limits and pathetic liberal judges need to actually start imprisoning reckless drivers not just let them off time after time with warning after that warning that is simply ignored.

    • A driver no matter where it is in the u k who by some means or other kills innocent people by inconsiderate driving should have all his or assets seized and sold and the money from the sale of the assets should be given to the victims family

  5. 2 lives taken should be 25 years for each person life is life and though its only 25 years for life I still think that it should be life I really hope the little girl is OK condolences to the family of the deceased ❤️ 💙

  6. Absolutely horrific deep condolences to the family. There are some absolute idiots driving some of their cars sound like they have no exhaust on them “ look at me I’m an idiot driver and no one does anything about it”. This tragedy is what happens to innocent people.

  7. So so sad

    As has been said many times the driving standards are awful in thanet. By far the worst area that I drive in.

    Yet only other day some people were moaning that the police were stopping illegal drivers.

    The new favourite is turning right from the left hand lane at roundabouts. If you are in the outside lane and going straight on to join in the outside lane all of a sudden the driver on your left cuts a cross you. You are doing nothing wrong but the driver cutting across you gives you abuse fir doing the correct thing !.

    Sadly the roads are becoming a free for all with alot of angry selfish drivers of all sexes and age

  8. The Police Area Commander needs to get off his backside and sort Thanet out – if necessary ask for extra resources from quieter areas of Kent. Get some of the trash off our streets. Rarely see a copper at night – until something happens!

  9. I doubt that a 5-year ban for someone without a licence is going to care or stop them driving illegally – what a stupid idea.

    What I have noticed is a persistent and selfish lack of courtesy among Thanet drivers when compared to other districts. Indicating a turn to oncoming traffic is ignored unless a traffic lights change allows passage.

    • My experiences with Thanet’s drivers are quite good, compared with London.
      Here, it’s not unusual for a car to stop to let you cross with no zebra crossing in sight; in London you’d be lucky to survive *on* a zebra crossing.

      • Absolute rubbish london drivers tend to be far more courteous and much safer. The driving in thanet is absolutely awful

      • Phyllis Quot is correct. I lived in London for over 40 years and local drivers here, though many are selfish prats, do seem much more aware of pedestrians.

  10. This is so shocking and sad. My deepest condolences to the families involved. Utterly heartbreaking.

    Ramsgate is in shock. Just awful.

  11. Condolences to the family for their devastating loss.

    Yet another twat in a car who thinks they are in GTA!!

    Just a shame the driver wasnt seriously injured instead of the innocent family he has just ruined.

  12. Firstly, my heartfelt condolences to the whole family. The punishment should be the maximum possible with a lifetime ban for vehicles. They must have been going some speed to cause this. If possible, should get 28 years for killing 2 innocent people. Appalling and ever so sad.

    Speed limits will not solve the current problems. There are too many small roads that cannot be effectively patrolled or monitored. There should a stricter punishment for dangerous road users. The threshold should be lowered and punishment should be banning these road users. Then they would need to take another test and have their insurance hiked up; black box mandatory for monitoring. We need to engage with technology that is being developed. Some modern cars recognise speed limits, this can be used to restrict car speeds by engine management. Formula 1 use this for pit lanes. You cannot punish everyone and restrict them to 20mph. Thanet would grind to a holt. Hotspots should have a 20mph restriction only. This way these areas can be effectively patrolled.

    • Having a 20mph speed limit in a town isn’t a punishment. It means that in a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian, the latter will have a far higher chance of survival with relatively minor injuries than if they are hit at 30 mph.
      Thanet grinds to a halt not because of speed limits, but because there are too many cars.

      • It is too restrictive. The punishment for dangerous road use, needs to be the avenue to explore. Not everyone is driving at the same time. Having a speed restriction needs careful planning on problem roads. It will add to people’s journey times to work and will ultimately make them rush more. This it self will cause more dangerous road behaviours. Punish the road users that are at fault and not the majority of sensible road users.

        • It doesn’t matter what time of day they #re driving- some- possibly many- are certainly a danger to other road users- eg pedestrians

    • You should see the size of the streets in New York a lot are one way traffic and in some cases 4 lanes wide and very seldom have any traffic delays

  13. Condolences to the family – absolutely awful. It’s hard to imagine how they will come to terms with such senselessnes.

    The standard of driving is absolutely shocking in Thanet recently. Twice, over the past couple of weeks, myself and my husband came close to being wiped out by maniac drivers. We both remarked that it was only a matter of time before they killed some unfortunate. Harsher sentences required.

  14. The police are now just a “Blues And Twos service ” dashing here there and everywhere ONLY when they are needed. When I was a police officer we didn’t go to universities like the waste time doing now after 6 weeks in the classroom we were put out on the beat with a senior officer to learn the job and “ fly the flag” that we we’re about and looking. We used to wait outside rough London pubs on Friday and Saturday nights waiting for the “ hero’s “ to start. If they thumped us we thumped them. Now the police are frightened to say or do anything.

  15. Same in Garlinge, yobs in high powered cars, doing wheel spins, driving at speed, only a matter of time before someone is killed! Thoughts are with this family, such a senseless waste of life. But he’ll just get a slap on the wrist!

    • Really, because I live in Garlinge and have done for nearly 20 years and hear/see none of that. There are one family I know of round here that are into car culture, and given the age of the vehicles(retro), they’re not doing wheelspins.

  16. You only have to drive around thanet and you can smell drivers smoking dope. Need more stop and testing. If you have any decent bones in your body just think about these poor pedestrian lives lost. Next time it could be you

  17. Sad to hear this thoughts are with the family and friends, looking at the age of those who died possibly a mum and grandad may they rip. Driving in Thanet is appalling in general, apologies to the law abiding decent drivers but their is not enough of you. 20 mph are OK but won’t ever stop speeding or dangerous driving, I and others have been asking for more police throughout Thanet to combat all forms of crime before long Kent police commissioner or those who are in charge will see the truth, over half of the vehicles stopped 38 in all had committed some form of motor offence, another dead driver who fled when asked to stop by the police, driver smashed into parked cars in Cliftonville suspicion of influence of drink. We need proactive policing not after the carnage, let’s get back to having a specialist road traffic policing section of our police force they were doing a great job until disbanded, we are really in need of them now. I hope the rest of the family get better soon.

  18. Very sad news. More Police are needed plus tougher sentences, take the cars & bikes off these idiots and crush them.

  19. Seems to have stopped now, but for many months I’ve been hearing cars roaring along Westbrook Avenue late at night. And in the evening boy racers gathered to practise their stunts in St Mildred’s Bay car park. The danger is immediately apparent. Some young males in particular treat cars as powerful toys, it’s a sick syndrome. They need other outlets for their thrill-seeking … but what? Meanwhile people should be disarmed by having licences revoked for any obviously reckless driving.
    So sad to hear this horrible news.

  20. Such sad news , condolences to all the family, This sort of thing needs to stop slow calming measures need to be put In place , St Augustines Rd is a race track I’ve witnessed it up there many time with idiot drivers speeding and overtaking other moving cars , there’s a blind bend either end only a matter of time . God bless the family . X

  21. A truly horrific incident and it brings back deeply unpleasant memories of an incident in the late 80s when a work colleague and her newly-wed husband were killed by a drink driver while walking along the Newington bridge. The driver fled the scene but was later arrested and eventually jailed for manslaughter.

    I’d reserve judgement on appropriate preventative measures until all causal and contributory factors have been identified by the Police investigation. It wouldn’t be surprising to learn if cognitive impairment through the consumption of alcohol and/or a controlled substance was a significant contributory factor in this instance. If found guilty, I hope the court throws the whole library at the defendant.

    • Yes i remember that, it was when my uncle had the cafe on the bridge.

      Thought the driver got 18 Months, saying that it may have been another.

      A family member Janet and her 2 dogs got killed a bit further along same road , think it was 1984.

  22. Also need to be said – pedestrians in Ramsgate are often arrogant.
    Please don’t get me wrong regarding this very sad and disturbing news.
    However
    I personally need to stop regularly by the traffic lights at the harbour where I have green ( as car driver). People don’t even look, don’t apologise just walk across not waiting for traffic to stop and pedestrians having green light.
    Lots of people even look at the drivers angry like its only driver who is responsible for safety.
    Ramsgate changed over the years and its less respect forward each other – everywhere.
    Its very sad news. Very sad.

    • Make it about yourself. As a car driver you should know that you may have to respond to others unpredictable actions. This tragedy, probably, has nothing to do with pedestrian behaviour at crossings.

    • Lucy L. Your comments say you have not read the new Highway code book yet. Pedestrians come first in the new book. These people where sitting on the bench waiting for a bus, a car being driven possibly to fast has reportedly lost control mounted the pavement, we know what happened, this is about a family hurt and in mourning, my wish is the family are able to recover & get well from this tragedy.

      • I visited the site to pay my respects today and surprisingly no skid marks! So the driver mounted the pavement on a straight bit of road without slowing down!!!!!

        • SAMANTHA,thanks for the information I guessed there wouldn’t be any do to picture of the wall and concrete part of building so senseless loss of life, have you seen the driver was in court yesterday I won’t comment.

  23. There are to many driving around thanet with not a care for others. You can smell that they are smoking drugs whilst driving. There needs to be more stop and testing. If you have any caring bones in your body just think before something as sad as this could be you. Condolences to the family now ripped apart by an uncaring driver again.

  24. Terribly sad. My thoughts are with the family especially the surviving members. I can’t imagine what they must be going through.

  25. This is so upsetting and so needlessly avoidable!
    My heart goes out to this poor family.

    As for the driver he should be given manslaughter and banned from driving for life

  26. My sincere condolences go out to the family. And idiot who has killed people and ruined so mamy lives as well as his own. He will now spend most of his life in prison no doubt. We need to make it socially unacceptable to drink and drive in this country. The Government raises money from our drinking habits and it seems to be socially acceptable to drink to excess, be an absolute pain in the butt at the very least and a specially admirable person. Mind you the UK is not alone in that. Less people smoke now and it seems the done thing. Drinking and driving should be the same. Unfortunately it increases aggression and bad behaviour too.

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