Send pictures to us
Send us your pictures and video by text, email or by uploading. Click here to find out how. »
|
|
|
|
Ringwood crash - driver was rally champion
4:02pm Monday 9th June 2008
Comments (72)
By Dan Kerins »
Police have identitifed the three men who died in two accidents on Hampshire roads over the weekend.
In the first accident Paul Choat died instantly after his car careered off the A338 at Blashford, also smashing into a tree.
Shortly after midnight the 43- year-old, from Green Lane, Fordingbridge, died when his silver Mercedes collided with trees and a telegraph pole.
Mr Choat owned the Verwood 4x4 and Mini Centre and was a well known and respected figure in the Raleigh Racing Community. He was the three times 4x4 off-road British Rally Champion.
He is survived by his partner Beverley.
One of Mr Choat's close friends, Barry Watkins, said: "Paul was unique, a larger than life character who was willing to help anyone. His death leaves a huge hole in many people's lives."
The accident happened on a right-hand bend between the Snails Lane and Ivy Lane junctions at Blashford, near Ringwood.
Police closed the road for seven hours while they investigated the cause of the tragedy. Officers confirmed that no other vehicles were involved.
An hour later two men were killed and a third man in his twenties was left fighting for his life following a collision on Lepe Road near Langley.
The driver of the car was Brett Richardson, a 27-year-old stores accountant with the Royal Navy from Mansfield Road in Gosport. His front seat passenger was Steven Ritchie, 24, a craftsman in the army with 17 Port and Maritime Regiment, from Margate, Kent. A 21-year-old from Calshot is in Southampton General Hospital, and his condition is described as serious but not life threatening.
The three men were travelling in a blue Subaru when they lost control and crashed head-on with a tree, just south of the junction with Stanswood Road, at about 1am.
The horrific scene was discovered by a police van, which moments earlier had been behind the Subaru at the Blackfield traffic lights.
In a statement, Mr Ritchie's family said: "Steven was the most wonderful son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. All his family are extremely proud of what he had achieved in his short life. Steven was loved greatly by all who knew him and he in turn loved his family. We are all shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of a fabulous young man and in our hearts he will live forever. He may be gone but he will never ever be forgotten."
Councillor Alexis McEvoy has lived on Lepe Road for more than 25 years and fears that accidents will continue to happen if drivers do not take extra care.
She said: "It is a fairly dangerous bend. I cannot really see that there is anything the highways agency could do to make it any safer.
"Straightening the bends would just encourage people to increase their speed."
Anyone with any information about either crash should contact police on 0845 045 45 45 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Your Say YourEcho
Mo Taylor, Spain says...
5:56pm Sun 8 Jun 08
car driver, hants says...
8:15pm Sun 8 Jun 08
Local resident, says...
9:50pm Sun 8 Jun 08
hopefullythecouncilw
illrealisenow?, 2 Close says...
12:02am Mon 9 Jun 08
car driver wrote:At the end of the day, the make of car is not to blame, this could have happened with any make of car. I have lived within a stones-throw away from this road for over two decades and a lot of people have not realised how sharp that bend is at night. The bend needs to have a clear sign by now surely?
I think its poor taste/judgement by the Echo running an advert by Subaru boasting of its its fast cars on the internet forum.
j, says...
12:03am Mon 9 Jun 08
ali, portsmouth says...
2:26am Mon 9 Jun 08
j wrote:you're so right j...i wish i had of told him..now i'll never see him again. RIP x x
"Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time... It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other.
Ann, portsmouth says...
7:35am Mon 9 Jun 08
K, says...
8:49am Mon 9 Jun 08
anon, says...
9:10am Mon 9 Jun 08
Sad but true, says...
10:22am Mon 9 Jun 08
RIP
Thinking of the children, says...
11:19am Mon 9 Jun 08
K wrote:Thank goodness no children were killed.
I deeply object to him being classed as a killer. Accidents happen he did not go out to kill anyone IT WAS AN ACCIDENT
Well someone had to think of the children.
Children, southampton says...
11:53am Mon 9 Jun 08
And another point yes there were 3 children killed that night, thats 3 sets of parents will miss greatly there sons.
My heart felt sympathies to you. RIP xx
Steve, Cyprus says...
12:31pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Who's the idiot?, says...
1:18pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Idiots wrote:Means his partner - named Beverley - is still alive. What are you missing? "Basic English for Idiots"? It's quite a common bit of syntax
He is survived by his partner Beverley.
Que?
Lee, Southampton says...
1:46pm Mon 9 Jun 08
George, says...
1:53pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Strange?!
Banker, says...
1:56pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Lee wrote:That's far from a simple truth. Bare statistics don't even suggest it, given that a huge number of people routinely break the speed limit without even dying once. Simply saying "speed kills" is completely fallacious. Speed may be a factor in a road accident, but you seem to suggest that death is unavoidable above a certain speed, which somehow the government have managed to ascertain by some magic or other.
Very sad that people have died but we, as a society, still do not put
enough emphasis on a simple truth - SPEED KILLS. For all you out there
commenting on this, how many of you stick to the speed limits? let
alone making adjustments for conditions!
Witness, too, other countries such as Germany, to whom our speed limits are an absolute joke, and who suffer far fewer road fatalities than we do
Speed doesn't kill. An inability to drive at speed may contribute, though
kate, new forest says...
2:33pm Mon 9 Jun 08
kate, new forest says...
2:51pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Dave, Marchwood (Soton) says...
2:59pm Mon 9 Jun 08
I also know the rear passenger well and god speed in your recovery.
All three are in all our thoughts. Deepest condolances to all the families involved.
Lee, Southampton says...
3:05pm Mon 9 Jun 08
As for the earlier comment, crash at low speed and you'll probably live. Crash at high speed and you might well die. I'm prepared to modify my statement to: INAPPROPRIATE SPEED KILLS. but it's the speed that changes a crash (they're rarely genuine accidents) into a tragedy. And as for Germany, I drive there a lot and the drivers only drive fast on the motorways. on the smaller roads they are far more careful, slower, and much better drivers than I see here.
Simon, says...
3:09pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Lee wrote:I don't quite understand your "its the speed that changes a crash (they're rarely genuine accidents)..?
Totally agree. It doesn't matter who you are but if you drive too fast for the road and the conditions you are putting yourself and others at risk of death. As for the earlier comment, crash at low speed and you'll probably live. Crash at high speed and you might well die. I'm prepared to modify my statement to: INAPPROPRIATE SPEED KILLS. but it's the speed that changes a crash (they're rarely genuine accidents) into a tragedy. And as for Germany, I drive there a lot and the drivers only drive fast on the motorways. on the smaller roads they are far more careful, slower, and much better drivers than I see here.
Can you elaborate please, because I might be in agreement with you.
Lee, Southampton says...
3:20pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Simon wrote:What I mean is that it is rare that a road crash is accidental, that there is usually some kind of responsibility involved. Whether it be driver error, poor maintenance, road design, alcohol or drug consumption or simply (and this often occurs with young men) showing off by driving fast, there is usually an underlying cause for the crash. I may be getting pedantic but just because something is unintentional does not mean it is accidental, unpredictable. Whenever we drive we have to judge for ourselves how fast to drive, how close to the car in front etc. Sometimes we don't get it right. It's because we're human, we make mistakes. Sadly we also, as humans, think we know better than anyone else, which is one reason why so many people ignore speed limits.
Lee wrote:I don't quite understand your "its the speed that changes a crash (they're rarely genuine accidents)..?
Totally agree. It doesn't matter who you are but if you drive too fast for the road and the conditions you are putting yourself and others at risk of death. As for the earlier comment, crash at low speed and you'll probably live. Crash at high speed and you might well die. I'm prepared to modify my statement to: INAPPROPRIATE SPEED KILLS. but it's the speed that changes a crash (they're rarely genuine accidents) into a tragedy. And as for Germany, I drive there a lot and the drivers only drive fast on the motorways. on the smaller roads they are far more careful, slower, and much better drivers than I see here.
Can you elaborate please, because I might be in agreement with you.
I must stress I am making no comment on this tragedy, but on driving in general. Very sad that we should lose 4000 a year on the roads.
A resident of lepe, says...
4:02pm Mon 9 Jun 08
fran, says...
4:06pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Sorry again to anyone connected. Sincerely.
Crash investigator, says...
4:09pm Mon 9 Jun 08
A Driver, says...
4:12pm Mon 9 Jun 08
A resident of lepe wrote:The picture is of the rear of the car... how can you gauge how fast the car was travelling?
Why ban fran? she/he has cut through the emotion of this tragedy and pointed out that there is blame in this crash, based on the picture of a car that couldn't have come from driving at a legal speed. Hopefully youngsters can learn from this and not let them die in vain.
Simon, says...
4:15pm Mon 9 Jun 08
A resident of lepe wrote:My car looked worse after I wrote it off on the M271 last year.
Why ban fran? she/he has cut through the emotion of this tragedy and pointed out that there is blame in this crash, based on the picture of a car that couldn't have come from driving at a legal speed. Hopefully youngsters can learn from this and not let them die in vain.
Wasn't breaking the speed limit, but landing in the ditch did most of the damage.
Firefighter, says...
4:20pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Simon wrote:Careless driving? p.s. they have been cut out of that car, this is why it looks bad.
A resident of lepe wrote: Why ban fran? she/he has cut through the emotion of this tragedy and pointed out that there is blame in this crash, based on the picture of a car that couldn't have come from driving at a legal speed. Hopefully youngsters can learn from this and not let them die in vain.My car looked worse after I wrote it off on the M271 last year. Wasn't breaking the speed limit, but landing in the ditch did most of the damage.
Simon, says...
4:26pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Firefighter wrote:Are you looking at the same pic I am?
Simon wrote:Careless driving? p.s. they have been cut out of that car, this is why it looks bad.A resident of lepe wrote: Why ban fran? she/he has cut through the emotion of this tragedy and pointed out that there is blame in this crash, based on the picture of a car that couldn't have come from driving at a legal speed. Hopefully youngsters can learn from this and not let them die in vain.My car looked worse after I wrote it off on the M271 last year. Wasn't breaking the speed limit, but landing in the ditch did most of the damage.
p.s. Call it what you will, but wasn't speeding, no other lives were in danger, wet greasy road, car (was) in good working order, new tyres.... personally, i call it an accident.
Show some respect, Thanet says...
4:35pm Mon 9 Jun 08
I have been at the house of the Mother and sister of the front passenger, who has been taken so very tragically. They are very very dear friends of mine, and to watch them fall apart today, and sob their hearts out for their lost son and brother has been totally soul destroying.
So whilst you all sit there passing judgement on whose fault it is these lads are gone, please spare a thought for the families who are suffering the most unbearable pain imaginable.
They did not ask for this to happen. And neither did the passengers. They did not deserve to die, and the suggestion that they got what was coming to them leaves me sick to the stomach.
Please, show some respect for these CHILDREN, who have had their lives cut short for whatever reason, and have left behind families who are having to make funeral arrangements for their children. Something no parent should EVER have to do.
If you had seen the families, and how truly devestated they are, and their rivers of enless tears, I'm sure you would think twice about posting such hurtful thoughtless messages.
RIP Steven. Your family truly adore you.
Firefighterr, says...
4:37pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Simon wrote:Yes, thats why i said it looks worse than it may have been as we cut of the roof. He was speeding. If he was going 30mph he wouldnt have died. That is a true fact. By speeding he caused his passengers to die or be injuryed which isnt very responsible.
Firefighter wrote:Are you looking at the same pic I am? p.s. Call it what you will, but wasn\'t speeding, no other lives were in danger, wet greasy road, car (was) in good working order, new tyres.... personally, i call it an accident.Simon wrote:Careless driving? p.s. they have been cut out of that car, this is why it looks bad.A resident of lepe wrote: Why ban fran? she/he has cut through the emotion of this tragedy and pointed out that there is blame in this crash, based on the picture of a car that couldn\'t have come from driving at a legal speed. Hopefully youngsters can learn from this and not let them die in vain.My car looked worse after I wrote it off on the M271 last year. Wasn\'t breaking the speed limit, but landing in the ditch did most of the damage.
But whatever is said or done, its a sad but too often happening story.
RIP
p.s. come on are you seriously suggesting you crashed into a ditch for no-reason at all?
Highway Agency Bod, says...
4:54pm Mon 9 Jun 08
That is why road crashes are NO longer call Accidents as someone is always at fault, they are called Incidents.
HTH
DSM, Winchester says...
4:56pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Let the investigations continue and then there may be occasion to lay blame; until then, keep quiet.
Firefighter, says...
4:57pm Mon 9 Jun 08
If they were speeding, it will be due to that. No he didnt mean to hit a tree, but the speed may be a factor.
Outrageous Comments, says...
5:04pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Paul Berton, says...
5:07pm Mon 9 Jun 08
DSM wrote:Erm, no. Accident implies there was no intention to cause the outcome.
I find it strange the frequent use of the word 'Accident' here. Even the Police have stopped using the term, preferring Road Traffic Incident. Accident implies no fault and pure chance. Until the facts of these tragic crashes are known, there is no point whatsoever slinging mud at the drivers, or pontificating what the passengers should or should not have said. I don't know what happened and nor does anyone else on here, but everyone seems to have their own personal insight. Let the investigations continue and then there may be occasion to lay blame; until then, keep quiet.
Unless the driver intended to career off the road and hit a tree - which I doubt very much - it was an accident.
RTI is simply a term the police use for every accident that happens on the road
Simon, says...
5:14pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Firefighter wrote:Not going to comment about my experience. This forum isn't about me.
So your car just decided i know ill take over control of this vehicle and plough it into a ditch? Did your tyre blow or anything else? If they were speeding, it will be due to that. No he didnt mean to hit a tree, but the speed may be a factor.
You blame speed for the "incident", yet you say speed may be a factor.
So speed is to blame or not? Or is speed a contributing factor, BUT not just down to the sheer speed which caused their deaths?
Lee, says...
5:14pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Paul Berton wrote:Actually accidental and unintentional do have different meanings. In the case of road crashes most of the time the action is deliberate but the outcome is unintentional. It is very rare for a road crash to be truly an accident. The Police have stopped using the word for a very good reason.
DSM wrote:Erm, no. Accident implies there was no intention to cause the outcome.
I find it strange the frequent use of the word 'Accident' here. Even the Police have stopped using the term, preferring Road Traffic Incident. Accident implies no fault and pure chance. Until the facts of these tragic crashes are known, there is no point whatsoever slinging mud at the drivers, or pontificating what the passengers should or should not have said. I don't know what happened and nor does anyone else on here, but everyone seems to have their own personal insight. Let the investigations continue and then there may be occasion to lay blame; until then, keep quiet.
Unless the driver intended to career off the road and hit a tree - which I doubt very much - it was an accident.
RTI is simply a term the police use for every accident that happens on the road
c, says...
5:16pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Outrageous Comments wrote:Well being as it involved three people im'e sure some of the people who say they know them actually do, why shouldn't they post on here.
I dont what too make of this, i understand peoples points of views, but why do people always come on here claiming they know someone involved? If you had the last thing you would do was post on the internet.
andy, local says...
5:24pm Mon 9 Jun 08
get well soon taf
Blah Blah, says...
5:24pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Lee wrote:Do not agree.
Paul Berton wrote:Actually accidental and unintentional do have different meanings. In the case of road crashes most of the time the action is deliberate but the outcome is unintentional. It is very rare for a road crash to be truly an accident. The Police have stopped using the word for a very good reason.DSM wrote: I find it strange the frequent use of the word 'Accident' here. Even the Police have stopped using the term, preferring Road Traffic Incident. Accident implies no fault and pure chance. Until the facts of these tragic crashes are known, there is no point whatsoever slinging mud at the drivers, or pontificating what the passengers should or should not have said. I don't know what happened and nor does anyone else on here, but everyone seems to have their own personal insight. Let the investigations continue and then there may be occasion to lay blame; until then, keep quiet.Erm, no. Accident implies there was no intention to cause the outcome. Unless the driver intended to career off the road and hit a tree - which I doubt very much - it was an accident. RTI is simply a term the police use for every accident that happens on the road
Police have stopped using them because they want to stay neutral until the cause or blame can be properly ascertained.
So you are saying the driver deliberately drove into the tree, but did not intend on killing himself or his passengers?
Think about it.
lee, says...
5:32pm Mon 9 Jun 08
Blah Blah wrote:you know well that's not what I'm saying. The driver drove how he did deliberately. He certainly did not intend to leave the road, let alone hit a tree. But something happened that resulted in tragedy. Only the Police Investigation will find out what, but something happened. It is possible that the way the driver was driving MAY have contributed but there was definitely a cause. There are thousands of possible causes but a cause there will be.
Lee wrote:Do not agree.
Paul Berton wrote:Actually accidental and unintentional do have different meanings. In the case of road crashes most of the time the action is deliberate but the outcome is unintentional. It is very rare for a road crash to be truly an accident. The Police have stopped using the word for a very good reason.DSM wrote: I find it strange the frequent use of the word 'Accident' here. Even the Police have stopped using the term, preferring Road Traffic Incident. Accident implies no fault and pure chance. Until the facts of these tragic crashes are known, there is no point whatsoever slinging mud at the drivers, or pontificating what the passengers should or should not have said. I don't know what happened and nor does anyone else on here, but everyone seems to have their own personal insight. Let the investigations continue and then there may be occasion to lay blame; until then, keep quiet.Erm, no. Accident implies there was no intention to cause the outcome. Unless the driver intended to career off the road and hit a tree - which I doubt very much - it was an accident. RTI is simply a term the police use for every accident that happens on the road
Police have stopped using them because they want to stay neutral until the cause or blame can be properly ascertained.
So you are saying the driver deliberately drove into the tree, but did not intend on killing himself or his passengers?
Think about it.
redarmy, southampton says...
7:07pm Mon 9 Jun 08
they say time is a healer, i dont believe it is,as how can you ever forget...
my thoughts are with you all, your boys are with god now. peace.
Danielle an Marie, Holbury says...
7:10pm Mon 9 Jun 08
it is a tradgedy losing someone you love...
to those leaving unthoughtfull messages please remember people are grieving and are coming on here to leave condolences on remember their loved ones!!
Our thoughts are with the Lad in hospital..Get Well Soon!!!
R.i.p
****
Sally, verwood says...
8:35pm Mon 9 Jun 08
****
Steve, Marchwood says...
9:24pm Mon 9 Jun 08
17 p&m, marchwood says...
10:12pm Mon 9 Jun 08
ali, portsmouth says...
10:56pm Mon 9 Jun 08
steven..you were such a lovely person..so many people loved you. i know ur sister is so heartbroken at the moment and ur mum and dad must be so inconsolable. RIP hun.
also RIP to all the other victims. my heart goes out to their families xx
-, says...
12:37am Tue 10 Jun 08
But the pain of grief
Is only a shadow
When compared with the pain
Of never risking love.
RIP Lads xxx
Big Boy, Hythe says...
5:49am Tue 10 Jun 08
KAREN, South Africa says...
6:57am Tue 10 Jun 08
SOME OF US ARE RELATIVES WHO LIVE FAR AWAY AND WE NEED TO READ THIS TO GET CLOSURE.
TO PAULS FRIENDS THINKING OF YOU
FROM THE ELUSIVE LITTLE SISTER
Amma, Town says...
7:32am Tue 10 Jun 08
sonny, says...
8:02am Tue 10 Jun 08
paul potts wrote:when people are grieving maybe they feel the need to let it out one way or another.. it seems a few people knew the lads on here..and they're entitled to post. if it really offends you that much just skip the post. there is no need to add insult to injury.
ali, portsmouth on 10:56pm Mon 9 Jun 08 its so tragic..nothing can changed what happened now. steven..you were such a lovely person..so many people loved you. i know ur sister is so heartbroken at the moment and ur mum and dad must be so inconsolable. RIP hun. also RIP to all the other victims. my heart goes out to their families xxWhat\'s with this? enough is enough. We know you knew him, but you have posted so many times now, it\'s obvious this is about you and not the lads or their families. Blah blah blah...we get it ok!!!
kayley, says...
9:32am Tue 10 Jun 08
lets just hope one day if you are in the same situation and need to offload..that people will be as generous with you.
RIP
M JAMES, ringwood says...
11:52am Tue 10 Jun 08
hopefullythecouncilwillrealisenow? wrote:neither roads nor cars kill - sadly it is the drivers that do this driving to fast for the road conditions thats how accidents happen - always will because nobody thinks it will happen to them as they feel in control .. just very sad .
car driver wrote: I think its poor taste/judgement by the Echo running an advert by Subaru boasting of its its fast cars on the internet forum.At the end of the day, the make of car is not to blame, this could have happened with any make of car. I have lived within a stones-throw away from this road for over two decades and a lot of people have not realised how sharp that bend is at night. The bend needs to have a clear sign by now surely?
Natalie, Dartford, Kent says...
1:44pm Tue 10 Jun 08
hmm is a fool, says...
5:47pm Sun 8 Jun 08
Obviously someone thought your comment was inappropriate, and the Echo moderator agreed. Grow up, deal with it and move on. I'm sure there are some spelling mistakes elsewhere you can go pick the Echo up on or something