Who was Rachael Skelton? Woman crushed to death as driver, 88, hit accelerator instead of brake
Rachael Mary Skelton, 30, a singer and actress, died in an unfortunate accident after her grandmother's friend mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake and crushed her. She was at her grandmother's driveway, crouching as the events unfolded, and breathed her last in less than an hour because of the subsequent head injury.
Joan Daphne Buckett, 88, was driving her automatic Toyota Yaris down the driveway when she pumped the accelerator on June 23, 2020. Even though Hampshire police attempted to press charges of gross negligence, manslaughter, and death by careless driving, the Crown Prosecution Service waved the possibility off since the accident was not on a public road.
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Rachael was brutally crushed between the car and the fence, and Buckett gave a "weird", blank expression as she stood there. The latter had also hit Rachael's mother when she lost control of her driving. She had come there to meet Rachael's grandmother in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, who has been her friend since 1967.
Rachael was visiting her gradmother place to paint furniture for her new home. She was soon about to move in with her boyfriend in their new space. The police revealed that no mechanical failure disturbed the car, and the driver could not have lost control.
Buckett uses hearing aids for both her ears and uses a walking stick. She surrendered her license right after the incident. Passers-by could hear "mega revs" as the car skidded for a good 10 through 12 feet.
Rachael's family is devastated and raised concerns about allowing people, especially senior citizens, who are not fit to drive. They also urged for a change in the Road Traffic Act, necessitating a driving test for people over the age of 70.
The family, in a statement, said, "Rachael was just 30 when she was killed. She has been robbed of a long and blissfully happy life surrounded by family and friends who are now left totally bereft and completely lost without her. If you are one of the many people who know deep down that they should not be driving anymore, please STOP. Don’t risk putting your friends and family in the position where they have to support you for the rest of your days as you struggle to live with the blood of an innocent person on your hands. Our beautiful Rachael has been taken from us and the trauma of witnessing the violent and completely avoidable death of our daughter is simply too much to bear.”
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Her boyfriend, Richard Morris, also echoed their views and was devastated after her death. "I cannot describe the loss of Rachael or how it has completely changed my life. I wanted nothing more than to enjoy our first home, our children and all the adventures we had planned together. She was truly one of a kind and the nicest person you could ever meet. While nothing can ever replace Rachael and her beautiful zest for life, I will continue to honor and remember her in all that I do. I will forever be grateful for the many happy and beautiful years we shared," he added.