Man, woman and dog die following horror BMW crash in Kent

Thurnham Lane in Bearsted (Google Maps)
Thurnham Lane in Bearsted (Google Maps)

Two pedestrians and a dog died after a collision with a BMW X5 in Maidstone, Kent Police said.

The man and woman, both in their 60s, were walking a dog in Thurnham Lane, Bearsted, when the fatal crash happened at about 1.40pm on Saturday.

Officers attended the scene along with South East Coast Ambulance Service, but all three were pronounced dead.

“At around 1.40pm on Saturday January 20 2024, the driver of a black BMW X5 was involved in a collision with two pedestrians who were walking a dog in Thurnham Lane,” a police statement said.

“Officers attended the scene along with South East Coast Ambulance Service where both pedestrians, a man and a woman in their 60s, along with the dog, were pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Police are appealing for witnesses. The force has not said if the BMW driver stopped afterwards.

"Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any other information or dashcam footage prior to, or at the time of the collision, is urged to call Kent Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit," the statement added.

Steven Edwards, who rents a commercial yard off Thurnham Lane, said some drivers use the road as a rat run, adding that recent icy conditions turned parts of it into a "skidpan".

He said: "Some people race up there but as a rule the locals do go quite slow.

"It's 30mph through the built-up area and then it goes into a national speed limit, which is ridiculous because you should never be doing that up there."

Bearsted is a small village with a population of around 8,000 and is well-known locally for grand houses and walking trails. It has few facilities but does boast a railway station with links to London. Maidstone, the county town in Kent, is two miles away.

If you can help, Call investigators on 01622 798538 or email sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk, quoting reference RY/HG/008/24.

Footage can also be submitted through our online portal https://kep.uk.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/rtc-thurnham-lane-maidstone