Mother of two and her father killed in seaside hit and run
Girl, 6, fights for life after family mown down in horror smash
A PHYSICIST and her father were killed in a suspected hit-and-run accident while on a family outing to the seaside.
The scientist’s daughter was left with critical injuries and her husband and son were also hurt in the crash.
Last night police named the dead as Noga Sella and her elderly father Yoram Hirshfeld, who was visiting from Israel.
The tragedy happened in Ramsgate, Kent, at around 9.35pm on Wednesday. The family were struck by a black Alfa Romeo outside a multistorey car park about 50 yards from the marina. Witnesses said the driver ran away
‘There was a big, loud bang and shouting’
after the smash. A 30-year- old man from Ramsgate was later arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of a collision.
Mrs Sella, 40, a consultant physicist and systems engineer with Cambridge Design Partnership, and Mr Hirshfeld, 78, a former mathematics professor at Tel Aviv University, died at the scene.
Mrs Sella’s six-year-old daughter was taken to hospital with critical injuries. Last night she was being treated in a London hospital. Mrs Sella’s husband Omer, who is in his 40s, and eight-year-old son suffered minor injuries. The family live near Cambridge.
Before joining Cambridge Design Partnership, which is based just outside the city, Mrs Sella worked for Cambridge Consultants, which also delivers scientific innovations for businesses. Mr Sella is a computer scientist.
Yesterday witnesses described the horrific scene after the crash.
Marc-Pierre Campos, 56, who owns Marc-Pierre’s Kitchen, a nearby restaurant, said: ‘There was a big, loud bang and a crash and then customers and my staff went rushing down and started shouting for someone to call the emergency services. Paramedics got there whilst I was still on the phone. They were amazing.
‘The fire brigade was needed to pull the car off the woman.
‘It’s probably the worst thing I’ve ever seen.’ Mr Campos said he held the arm of the young girl as paramedics treated her.
He then realised her mother was trapped under the car.
‘That image will stay with me for the rest of my life,’ he said. Another witness, named only as Anastasiya, 42 said: ‘The mum was under the car and the fire brigade used a forklift to get her out.’
She added: ‘They then did CPR on her but she had no chance of surviving.’
She said the driver of the vehicle fled the scene and added: ‘It’s terrible, it’s horrible, the guy driving the car in the crash ran away, he must have been in shock.’
Kent Police said: ‘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.’
A cordon remained around the scene in Leopold Street yesterday as council workers cleared debris from the street, including a damaged bench and pieces of brick from a caved-in wall.
A number of floral tributes were placed near the scene and a vigil was held last night.
A card left by the mayor of Ramsgate, Councillor Raushan Ara, read: ‘My heartiest condolences go out to the family and friends of this tragic accident on behalf of the people of Ramsgate.’