Family have paid heartbreaking tribute to dental surgeon
TRIBUTES have been paid to a great-grandad who was hit by a car then carried for 1.5miles in a fatal crash.
Tom Wallace, 89, was struck by a grey Mercedes estate on the A289 Gads Hill in Gillingham, Kent, just after 12pm on Monday.
Police confirmed he was found on the ground around 1.5miles away after being “carried” by the car.
Two Albanian nationals appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court today charged over his death.
Albert Matraxhiu, 28, of Orange Hill Road, Edgware, north London, has been charged with death by dangerous driving.
Erald Paci, 29, of Five Way Court, Chatham, Kent, has been charged with perverting the course of justice.
Tom’s devastated family have now paid tribute to the former dental surgeon.
They said: “He had been married for 63 years, was a father of three, a grandfather of four, and recently a great grandfather. He loved his family dearly and was loved by them in return.
“He sailed his boat up and down the east coast, and across the Channel to France, usually single-handed. For years he was a bell-ringer at the church on Gillingham Green.
“He was a Samaritan for many years, raised money for the NSPCC and undertook several European cycling tours to raise funds for Marie Curie.
“He was a respected and loved member of the community and deserved a better end to his life than this.”
Tom’s family also thanked locals and a postman who rushed over to help Tom following the horror.
Kent Police said the car was found nearby and the two occupants fled on foot.
South East Coast Ambulance Service paramedics treated Tom at the scene but he later died, a spokesperson said.
One resident said the pedestrian was found by a postman who had previously seen a car with something on its roof.
He then stopped when he saw something on Grange Road only to discover it was a man.
The resident said the postman was “absolutely devastated” and that it was “horrible to see the poor bloke lying there”.
“This lane has always been isolated, and there has been some incidents, but nothing to this scale,” he said.
While a woman recalled how she saw two men “who were walking quite close to the road and looked a bit out of breath”.
“They kept checking behind them,” she said.
Det Insp Zoe Wilczek, of Kent Police’s serious collision investigation unit, previously said the force was continuing to appeal for witnesses.
She said: “We would like to thank all those who have assisted our investigation so far.
“We are urging anyone who witnessed the incident, or saw the vehicle or pedestrian prior to the collision, to contact us.
“We’re also asking anyone who may have caught any part of the incident on their dashcams and CCTV, and has not yet got in touch with us, to do so.”
Matraxhiu and Paci have been remanded into custody ahead of a hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on January 30.
