Man in court over South Yorkshire road tragedy

The 24-year-old man has been charged with multiple road traffic offences after a collision in Askern.

Ricky Joe Hepworth, of Newmarche Drive in Askern, has been charged with three counts of death by dangerous driving, three counts of aggravated vehicle taking, three counts of causing a death while driving uninsured and unlicensed, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

He is remanded in police custody and was due to appear at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court today.

At 11pm on Saturday, 26 December, a blue Volvo S60 and four pedestrians were involved in a collision on Sutton Road at the junction with Manor Way in Askern.

Three of the pedestrians, two 54-year-old women and a 48-year-old man, died as a result of their injuries.

The fourth pedestrian, a 57-year-old man, sustained life-threatening injuries and remains in hospital in a critical condition.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the tragedy to call 101 quoting incident number 968 of 26 December 2015.