These are the first photos of a ‘kind and gentle’ father of two who died in a ‘car rampage’ in Coventry – as a 33-year-old man was arrested for murder and detained under the Mental Health Act.
Joel Carriedo was struck by the car as he was cycling home from the University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire on Sunday morning after working a night shift. Moments before the same car had hit and killed a 44-year-old pedestrian.
Mr Carriedo, 47 – originally from the Philippines – was described this afternoon as ‘a great person, very kind and gentle’.
A friend added: ‘This is a tragedy. He was cycling home after a night shift and had only just returned to work after being on holiday with his family.
‘He was so well liked, a brilliant father and colleague. We’ll miss him.’
Cyclist and hospital support worker Joel Carriedo pictured with his wife, Marilyn
Retired builder Barry Dean told today how a car smashed into his home following a rampage
Mr Dean opened his front door and found the wreckage of a black Mercedes on his front drive surrounded by bricks and rubble
Former colleagues of Mr Carriedo also payed tribute today.
Lalu Scaria, 47, a nurse at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire said: ‘Joel was always very cheerful and a very talented man.
‘We used to work on the same ward and the patients always really appreciated his compassion.
‘When I left the ward, he helped arrange a party with staff and patients to thank me for my work. He was a very kindhearted person.’
Another colleague Bittaj Augustine, a 52-year-old supervisor in sterile services, said: ‘I think Joel had recently moved over to the gastro ward and was looking after mainly elderly patients.
‘He’d recently moved from working the day to working a lot at night.
‘He and his family had been on holiday recently and they’d not long moved house.
‘Another colleague of mine who’d also been working nights was walking home and came across the aftermath of what happened.
‘She could see paramedics trying to resuscitate someone on the ground. There was a small crowd gathered round.
‘She couldn’t tell who it was but knew it was someone from the hospital as the victim still had their uniform on.
‘It turned out to be Joel. All of his colleagues are devastated. He was always smiling and was one of those people who are always positive and forward-thinking.’
Meanwhile the man whose house the driver smashed into broke his silence.
Barry Dean, 76, was watching Match of the Day on TV yesterday morning when he heard a huge crash.
He opened his front door and found the wreckage of a black Mercedes on his front drive surrounded by bricks and rubble.
West Midlands Police officers were called to Gosford Street near the city centre in Coventry. A 44-year-old pedestrian and a cyclist are dead after being hit by a car in separate crashes
The car hit a house in Beckbury Road, Coventry, after a pedestrian and a cyclist were killed when they were hit by a vehicle
The car had left a large crack in the front of his house in Coventry.
The driver had fled by the time Mr Dean came out and a man was later arrested by the police near to some local flats.
A 44-year-old pedestrian and Mr Carriedo died after being struck by the same car minutes earlier.
Mr Dean said today: ‘It shook me out of my seat.
‘I was sitting watching Match of the Day and all of sudden there was a huge crash and the house shook.
‘I immediately got up and went to fetch the front door keys. I opened up and found the smoking wreck of a black Mercedes.
‘The car partially destroyed my fuse box so I’ve now had the electricity and gas cut off. There’s a lot of damage to the front of the house, where the hallway and cloakroom is. I built this house myself, it’s gutting.
‘Luckily my wife was out at the time, she’d gone out not long before to a car boot sale.
‘By the time I’d opened the door and seen what had happened, the driver had managed to climb out the wreckage and had run off.
‘A man who was walking nearby who’d watch it happen called the police and they came about five minutes late. There must have been about ten cars, police dogs, a drone and even the helicopter was up.’
The car crashed into a house on Beckbury Road. An hour later police arrested a 33-year-old man who is currently in custody being quizzed by officers
West Midlands Police said that a man arrested on suspicion of murder has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
A spokesman said: ‘We detained a 33-year-old man in Beckbury Road following a series of collisions in the city around 8am yesterday morning (3 September).
‘A 44-year-old pedestrian who was struck on Gosford Street and a cyclist, aged 47, who was hit on Woodway Lane sadly died of their injuries.
‘Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who have tragically lost their lives, and we’ll be doing all we can to support them during this deeply distressing time.
‘Another pedestrian who was struck on Gosford Street has been treated for injuries which are not life threatening.
‘We’re not looking for anyone else in connection with what happened, and from the information we have this is not being treated as terror-related.
‘Our enquiries are continuing and anyone who can assist is asked to contact us.’
