Two Arrested and Charged After Elderly Pedestrian Dies in Gillingham Collision

Two people have been charged following a fatal hit-and-run in Gillingham that left a man in his 80s dead, Kent Police said.

The incident occurred on the A289 Gads Hill when a grey Mercedes estate struck the pedestrian on Monday, according to the force. Police later located the man on the ground at Grange Road; officers said he had "been carried by the car" and that the location where he was found was potentially almost a mile or more from the point of impact.

Kent Police confirmed two people have been charged in relation to the incident. Albert Matraxhiu, 28, of Orange Hill Road, Edgware, has been charged with death by dangerous driving. Erald Paci, 29, of Five Way Court, Chatham, has been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Both defendants have been remanded to appear at Medway Magistrates' Court, the force said. No further details about the court listing were provided by police.

The collision prompted an investigation by Kent Police. Officers attended the scene on the A289 Gads Hill and later located the casualty at Grange Road. The force's statement noted that the pedestrian had been carried on top of the vehicle after being struck and that there was a significant distance between the initial strike site and where the man was ultimately found.

Authorities have not released the identity of the deceased beyond describing him as a man in his 80s. No additional information about the circumstances that led to the collision, the movements of the vehicle after the impact, or any potential witnesses was included in the initial update from police.

The two charged men were identified by police with residential addresses. Matraxhiu is listed as residing on Orange Hill Road in Edgware; Paci is listed as residing on Five Way Court in Chatham. The nature of the charges indicates investigators believe one individual drove the vehicle in a way that caused the fatality and that another may have taken actions that police regard as interfering with the investigation.

Kent Police will carry forward with the investigation and the criminal process will continue through the courts. As the matter proceeds, the magistrates' court will determine custody arrangements and any subsequent remand or transfer to a higher court for trial, should that be required.

The A289 Gads Hill, where the collision occurred, is a key route through Gillingham. The discovery of the casualty at Grange Road, a location described by officers as being at a distance from the impact site, was a notable detail in the force's public statement.

At this stage, police statements have focused on the immediate facts of the case: the vehicle involved, the location of the collision and where the casualty was found, the ages and addresses of the charged individuals, and the charges laid. Kent Police have not released further material such as witness accounts, statements from family members, or specifics about evidence recovered.

Those with information relevant to the incident were asked to contact Kent Police. The force has been leading enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision and to support the criminal proceedings now under way.

The two charged will appear at Medway Magistrates' Court as the next formal step in the legal process. Further hearings and any additional charges or court dates will be a matter for the prosecution and the courts to announce in due course.