A TEENAGER allegedly begged his ex-girlfriend to take him back minutes before he was hit by a car and killed in Crayford early yesterday morning.

Eighteen-year-old Kyle Rich was walking back from a night out at Air and Breathe nightclub in Dartford with his best friend Jake Walker when he was hit by a red Land Rover estate.

Police and paramedics were called at 5am to Thames Road, near to the junction with Iron Mill Lane on the opposite side, but the teenager reportedly died in his friend’s arms.

At 4.20am Stephanie Rose, 19, claims he pleaded with her to give their relationship another go after they recently split up having dated for a couple of months.

She showed News Shopper texts in which the former Erith School pupil wrote: “I love you so much Steph, I’ll never give up on you.

“You mean so much to me. Just get back with me, please Steph – just one more chance”.

Another message read: “Steph please :( xxxx”.

Miss Rose says she did not see the texts and some missed calls left by Kyle until midday yesterday (June 21) when she rang his phone – seven hours after he died.

News Shopper:

Sam Mitchell at the scene where his friend died.

Amidst more than 100 bouquets and written tributes to Kyle taped to the railings by the busy road where the accident happened, Miss Rose told News Shopper she would have given the relationship another try.

The Shepherds Lane, Dartford, resident, who says she first met Kyle at Air and Breathe, said: “I only saw the texts at about midday.

“I had heard there had been an accident. Then one of my friends said ‘have you heard what’s happened to Kyle?’

“He left me a couple of missed calls. I didn’t see the texts until later and it was too late. It’s horrible because I feel like ringing him. I rang his phone yesterday before I knew.”

When asked whether she would rather be at the spot Kyle died than anywhere else, Miss Rose said: “Yes because it’s the last place he was alive but no because he was only about halfway home.”

The nursery nurse at Brinds Well Day Nursery in Orpington added: “He was lovely to be honest. He never hurt anyone.”

Flowers line the spot where the accident happened.

 

Friend Sam Mitchell, 20, was with around 40 people for a vigil at the scene last night and joined a small group of others spending time there this afternoon.

He said he might well have been with Kyle on the fatal early morning walk had he decided to join him clubbing on Thursday night.

The Colyers Lane, Erith, resident said: “I would have been walking home with him as well. I wish I had been now but I wasn’t.

“It’s still a dream to me. I want somebody to pinch me back into reality. You wouldn’t expect it would happen to Kyle, he was the most fun loving person going.”

Mr Mitchell, who was a couple of years above Kyle at Erith School, said he used to go out clubbing with the fun-loving teenager “every weekend”.

He added: “He had the best dance you could ever see like the funky chicken – it was mad dancing.”

The driver of the red Land Rover estate, a 56-year-old man, has been released on bail after being arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death while driving under the influence of alcohol.

The scene of the accident in Crayford.