Appeal continues following fatal collision
14 February 2012
Appeal type
CrimeIncident Date
07/02/2012
Incident Location
Moray Avenue, Hayes
Description
Detectives are renewing appeals for information a week after a fatal hit-and-run collision involving a stolen car.
A manslaughter investigation was launched following the incident on Tuesday 7 February in which 70-year-old Roberto Da Silva, a retired mechanical engineer from Hayes, was killed.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Lawrence from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said:
"We are keen to speak to anyone in the area who either saw the Volkswagen Golf being driven prior the collision, saw the people responsible running away afterwards or may know who is responsible. Please come forward."
Detectives and local Safer Neighbourhoods officers will be at various locations in the area today (14 February), handing out leaflets and seeking information from the public. I would urge anyone with information to please contact the Incident Room at Belgravia on 020 7321 7228, or if you wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Police were contacted at 18.53hrs on Tuesday 7 February, by a man who saw his VW Golf being driven away. He subsequently discovered the car keys had been taken during a burglary at his home.
At 18.56hrs a marked police car saw the Golf travelling north in Dawley Road and began to follow.
The Golf was subsequently in collision with a stationary Vauxhall Zafira at the junction of Botwell Lane and Church Road.
The Golf drove on but the police car was also in collision with this Zafira, at 18.58hrs. It was a minor collision and there were no injuries, but the police car ended the pursuit at that point as a matter of procedure.
At 19.02hrs the ambulance service informed police of a collision at Moray Avenue, at the junction with Compton Road. The Golf had been in collision with a parked Vauxhall Frontera and its driver, Mr Da Silva, as he was exiting the parked vehicle.
Two men abandoned the Golf and made off on foot.
Mr Da Silva, originally of Cape Verde, died at the scene.
A post-mortem examination was held at Uxbridge Mortuary on 9 February, and the cause of death was determined as severe trauma to the spine.
Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command (HSCC) took over the investigation.
- Roberto Da Silva who died following the collision.