A driver has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a collision that killed an 18-year-old girl and left her twin sister among six others injured — more than a year after the crash that devastated a West Yorkshire family just days before Christmas.
Jack Reape, 31, was behind the wheel of a black Mercedes CLK when it collided with a white Citroen C3 in Cotesbach, Leicestershire, on 15 December 2023. Chloe Pearson, a passenger in the Citroen, was rushed to hospital following the impact but died from her injuries two days later. She was 18 years old and had recently begun training as a nurse.
Reape has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while driving disqualified and three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He is due to appear at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday 26 May.
Chloe’s twin sister Abigale was also travelling in the Citroen and suffered serious injuries in the collision. The driver and a passenger in the Mercedes were also seriously hurt. In total, seven people were injured in the crash.
In a tribute reported by The Sun, Abigale described the loss of her sister in devastating terms. “The most devastating thing is that I came out of this incident without my twin sister,” she said. “I’m absolutely mortified and heartbroken that I’ve no longer got her by my side. Rest in peace beautiful, until we meet again.” In a separate Facebook post, she added: “Words can’t describe how much I miss you Chloe, life’s never going to be the same without you. I’m heartbroken and lost knowing you’re never coming back. I promise to always make you proud.”
Their grandmother, Elizabeth Pearson, said the family had been left in shock by the loss. “Chloe was caring, beautiful and so full of life. She had just started her nursing career,” she said. “It is so numbing; we are all in shock. The family has been ripped apart. We are all mourning together. Castleford is mourning.”
