The family of a Deliveroo driver killed in a hit and run smash have paid tribute to the “loving father” as their fundrasing appeal to repatriate his body to Brazil has raised more than £17,000.
Metropolitan Police are on the hunt for the driver and passengers of a BMW that overturned after it collided with Ronaldo Medeiros De Oliveira’s motorbike in Leigham Court Road, Streatham.
Metropolitan Police said the BMW was abandoned at the scene and three occupants fled on foot. A man, 22, was arrested and released without further action.
While detectives continue to hunt for suspects, Ronaldo’s grieving daughter Gabriele Oliveira has shared an emotional tribute to her father, aged 44 when he was killed last Thursday.
“He was always happy and never had bad times when we were with him,” she said in a statement released by the Met on Tuesday.
“He was my true hero, taught me everything I know. We are going to miss him a lot. Wherever he went he carried a lot of light with him and a lot of happiness.”
A GoFundMe page set up to raise funds to repatriate his body has raised more than £17,000. Ronaldo had lived in London for 13 years.
“He was the base of the family, an example of a father, an example of a friend and husband,” Ms Oliveira said.
She described the the impact of the BMW being “so violent that it threw my father along with the motorcycle”.
“Some people passing by called the emergency (services) and started first aid until the ambulance arrived, but unfortunately, due to the force of the impact, my father couldn’t resist and died at the scene of the accident,” Ms Oliveira wrote on GoFundMe.
“He was much loved and cherished by all his friends, a warrior man who always did everything for others. With a lot of pain in my heart, I come to ask for your help so that we can return his body to Brazil to his homeland and to his family.”
Detective Sergeant Nick Bale of the Met’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said on Tuesday: “My thoughts are with Ronaldo’s family and I want to reiterate my commitment to them that we working hard to piece together what happened.
“I am continuing to ask anyone who has information about the identity of three occupants who we believe left a blue BMW abandoned at the scene of the collision to get in touch.
“Similarly, if you were in the car, please make yourself known to us.”
A Deliveroo spokesperson confirmed Ronaldo worked for the food delivery service.
“This is an incredibly tragic and shocking accident and our hearts go out to all of his family and friends,” a spokesperson earlier told the Standard.
“We are making contact with the next of kin and we will do everything we can to support them. We have also offered to help the police however we can.”
