-
Thanks, yes. He was called Kenneth Matcham and he was driving the 358 bus. RIP.
https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/01/orpington-bus-driver-killed-crash-devoted-grandfather-seven-11027067/
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/orpington-bus-crash-victim-didnt-3493561
The first article says that a driver pulled out of a side street (The Avenue) and apparently crashed into a bus going along Sevenoaks Road. Elsewhere it's reported that Mr Matcham was 'catapulted' from his cab when he swerved to avoid the crash between the driver's car and the other bus, and this appears to be how he died.
According to one witness, the crash happened at the bottom of The Avenue at the junction of Park Avenue and Sevenoaks Road.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-50258092
Drugs may have been involved:
The 24-year-old driver of the car was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drug-driving.
The man said an R11 bus had crashed into the wall of a house, and another, the 358, ended up on the pavement.
https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/18008992.witness-says-orpington-crash-carnage-like-nothing-seen/
As is often the case, a local resident says he'd written to the council about the speeding problem on Sevenoaks Road but nothing had been done.
-
This is very sad:
I had a hugely enjoyable ride along with the LBVCR in 2008 and saw a lot of these 'cars' in action.
This is a picture of the type of vehicle--you definitely don't want to get onto a motorway in that:
-
The Harry Dunn crash was 'miscategorised', causing a longer waiting time for the ambulance:
-
This one has a distinct whiff of at attack with a motor vehicle about it, but I'll post it in here until more facts are known:
-
It turns out that this doesn't seem to have been a crash at all; it seems he was murdered and may have fallen under his own car:
Over a car parking space.
RIP Manmeet Singh.
-
Here's a bad crash involving a police van at the junction that @Jezston was not impressed with recently:
The initial reporting suggests the driver jumped a red light, but of course that may be corrected as the facts are established.
-
In this situation, it could be any speed that's too fast for the conditions.
I'd guess the police van wouldn't have been going at more than 30, but that's very fast for that area.
No idea what the speed really was, obviously.
-
That sounds sickening. I don't think I'm looking forward to further reports.
-
Arrest now made it seems
Death by dangerous driving seems like a cop out for what should be murder but naturally, its not murder as long as you use a car to do it.
-
Thanks. It doesn't sound to me as if this is a case where only a lesser charge is being considered. He is being charged with six counts of attempted murder.
Essex Police said in a statement the Loughton man, 51, has also been arrested on six counts of attempted murder and one of causing death by dangerous driving.
[...]
Chief Superintendent Tracey Harman told reporters on Monday night: ‘We believe that the collision was deliberate and as such we have launched a murder investigation.
‘We are investigating whether or not this incident may have been connected with another incident nearby.’
I imagine a murder charge may follow depending on the investigation. I don't know why it hasn't come yet. Perhaps there's a technical reason for that.
RIP Harley Watson, so desperately unlucky. The heart sinks.
-
Guardian article:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/02/essex-12-year-old-boy-hit-by-car-outside-school
It gives the age of the woman who was injured as 53, not 23 as the Metro article.
-
Oh, thanks. I managed to miss that completely (as did Phil, it seems).
-
Seems strange that he's been arrested on six counts of attempted murder, but only suspicion of with regards to the person he actually killed.
It's as if they're confident he was definitely trying to kill the six injured people, but not the poor kid who actually died. Presumably there's some legal reason.
-
Arrests are made based on reasonable grounds to suspect an offense has occurred, that usually doesn't change until they are charged or convicted. You don't get arrested for things, you get arrested or the suspicion you have done something as it has yet to be proven. Likely the article is just inconsistent in its wording.
-
I can't remember hearing of a crash in the Rotherhithe Tunnel before. I've also never gone through it that late at night, so don't know what driving is like when it's fairly empty. 'Fighting for life' is never good news--it's become newspaper code for 'will very probably die'. Here's hoping he defies that sense.
-
Here's a slightly updated article on Harley Watson's death:
The murder charge has been confirmed along with more charges of attempted murder. Also, the age of the woman affected does seem to be 23 rather than 53.
There is no background information about it yet, but I expect that will come out during the trial.
-
More on the Rotherhithe Tunnel crash:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/rotherhithe-tunnel-crash-shafiqul-haidhar-a4314296.html
MCamb
spindrift
PhilDAS
Eejit
Brun
stevo_com-
Post a reply
About
Non-cycling crashes that deserve attention
Posted by
@Oliver Schick
I think it's one of the bus drivers that died at the scene