Who: a young girl and a man in his 30s; What: a collision between a tipper truck and a pony and trap; When: shortly before 1: 30 PM ET on 1 April; Where: A228 Boyle Way at East Peckham, near Tonbridge. The crash left the child and the man dead, a woman from the trap in critical condition, and a 29-year-old tipper driver arrested and taken into custody.
Pony And Trap collision: scene, casualties and arrest
Emergency services converged on A228 Boyle Way between the Branbridges Road and Hale Street junctions after a white DAF tipper truck traveling southbound struck a pony and trap that was moving in the same direction shortly before 1: 30 PM ET on 1 April. On arrival, a man in his 30s who had been in the trap was confirmed dead at the scene. A young girl who had been taken to hospital was later confirmed deceased; a woman who was also in the trap remains in critical condition. A 29-year-old man from Kent driving the tipper was arrested and taken into custody as officers began an investigation.
Response on scene and ongoing investigation
Police, fire crews and paramedics attended the collision, and two air ambulances landed nearby as part of the emergency response. One helicopter arrived at 1: 44 PM ET and departed about 10 minutes later; a second landed at 2: 13 PM ET and left approximately five minutes afterwards. Kent Police said an investigation is under way and appealed for witnesses who may have seen the truck or the pony and trap before the collision to come forward to assist inquiries. The Serious Collision Investigation Unit has been named as handling the investigation.
Immediate reactions from authorities
Kent Police provided initial details of the incident and confirmed the arrest of the tipper driver. A Kent Police spokesperson said: “The young girl was confirmed deceased at the hospital and the woman remains in a critical condition. ” Officers closed the route in both directions while emergency crews worked and investigators processed the scene.
Quick context: The collision happened on a bypass road used by both motor traffic and local horse-drawn vehicles, prompting a major emergency response and a temporary closure of the route. Local road users were diverted while investigators carried out forensic and witness enquiries.
What’s next
Kent Police said the investigation will focus on the movements of the vehicles before the collision and on gathering witness and dashcam evidence. Officers have asked anyone who saw the white DAF tipper truck or the pony and trap prior to the crash to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit. Further updates, including any formal charges or findings from forensic work, are expected as inquiries continue and more information is released by investigators handling the case involving the pony and trap.
