Mother of Golders Green crash victim says son’s ‘only thought’ was wellbeing of driver
Cashier of Menachem's Kosher Butcher and Deli suffers two broken legs and a broken arm in the tragic incident
The mother of a man badly injured after an out-of-control car mounted the pavement in Golders Green has said his “only thought” is for the wellbeing of the driver.
David Richards, 45, a cashier at Menachems’ Kosher Butcher and Deli, was on his way to work on Wednesday morning, amid a street full of Passover shoppers, when the car ploughed into him at speed, leaving him with significant trauma injuries.
“He went through the car’s window,” said Richards’ boss Tamir. “He’s got two broken legs and a broken arm, and he needs an operation to take all the glass out of his face. It’s really bad. It’ll take weeks to recover.”
The silver car also collided with a rabbi, walking in the opposite direction. He was later identified by witnesses as Rabbi Elkouby, 80, who is now believed to need hip surgery. The Community Security Trust (CST) said it appeared to be an accident.
The mother of David Richards, identified as Rachel, had flown out to Israel for Passover only hours before the accident, and was told the news on the phone.
Speaking to Jewish News as she prepared to fly back to the UK on Thursday, she said: “David’s only concern was for the driver.”
She added: “He was very anxious to know that the driver will be OK. Thank God he’s in hospital and he’s going to be in the operating theatre today. He’s a very kind person and was super-anxious to reassure the driver. It’s amazing that this was his only thought at a time like that.”
Both Richards – whose uncle was by his side – and Rabbi Elkouby are understood to be recovering in the same trauma ward at St Mary’s Hospital after the air ambulance, three ambulance crews, an incident response officer and a hazardous area response team were sent to the scene by the London Ambulance Service.
The male driver stopped at the scene and assisted police. He was not arrested. CCTV footage is now being reviewed by officers and the Serious Collision Investigation Unit is appealing for anyone else with footage.
Local resident Sharon Klaff, 69, who was driving to work as a yoga teacher in the aftermath of the crash, was told that a man had been trapped under a car.
“It’s a terrible thing to see,” she said. “It is quite traumatic to watch. The police and the emergency services have been doing a fantastic job in caring for people. It is troubling to see. I hope it was just an accident.”
She added: “When I came to the shop there were people holding the shopfront up so that the debris – like the sign – did not fall and hit anyone. People were trying to help and trying to make sure that no one got injured.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
