Driver Admits Killing Mother, Two Dogs in Fatal Hit-and-Run

Dantay Roche, 24, has admitted to killing a mother and her two dogs in a hit-and-run incident while traveling at more than double the speed limit. Roche pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on Wednesday to causing death by dangerous driving, criminal damage, and causing death by driving an uninsured vehicle.

He was driving his white Seat Leon at 61 mph in a 30 mph zone in December 2023 when he struck Marie Theobald, 48, as she crossed the road with her Maltese dogs, Riley and Honey. Theobald and the dogs were pronounced dead at the scene. Roche did not stop his vehicle, which was later found nearby. CCTV footage showed him exiting the car to inspect the damage before fleeing.

Roche was remanded in custody and is scheduled for sentencing on January 25, 2027, at the same court. In a statement released after her death, Theobald's family described her as a "loving mother, daughter, sister, niece and friend" who was "honest, hardworking, selfless" and always put others first. They added that the dogs were "much loved members of the family" and that Marie and her pets "adored" each other.

Detective Inspector Mark Braithwaite, who led the investigation, stated that the exact reason for Roche's speed that night remains unknown as he offered no explanation. Braithwaite noted that Roche drove at dangerous speeds in a residential area and then made the "cowardly decision to leave the scene." The case was built on evidence from a forensic collision investigator, confirming the vehicle's speed, and digital inquiries that placed Roche in the vicinity at the time of the collision.