Man named and charged in relation to Manchester van and tram crash that killed three-year-old girl

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Family of girl, 3, killed in tram and van collision in Manchester pay heartbreaking tribute to her

Family of girl, 3, killed in tram and van collision in Manchester pay heartbreaking tribute to her. Credit: GMP

A man has been named and charged after a van and a tram collided in Manchester city centre this past weekend.

It comes after emergency services responded to reports of a road traffic collision involving a tram and a van in Mosley Street in Manchester city centre at around 10am this past Saturday (22 February), where it was found that the van collided with the tram, forcing the van onto the pavement where it collided with a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, a three-year-old girl, was rushed to hospital, but despite the best efforts of all involved, sadly passed away from her injuries.

A scene remained in place around the Mosley Street, Booth Street, and Nicholas Street areas whilst officers conducted their investigations over the weekend.

The scene of the incident on Mosley Street in Manchester city centre / Credit: The Manc Group

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had previously issued a widespread public appeal to find the driver of the van after he fled the scene shortly after, and officers had been following ‘several lines of enquiry’ to locate him.

It was reported that the suspect was ‘identified’ on Monday morning (24 February), and now, GMP has named the driver as Rawal Rehman, of Lambton Road in Manchester.

The 35-year-old has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and will appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today (26 February).

The little girl who lost her life in the tragic incident was named Louisa (Lulu) Palmisano.

Her family wrote in a heartbreaking tribute to her yesterday: “Louisa was the sweetest, kindest, and most generous little girl. She was full of creativity and joy, and she absolutely loved going to nursery every day.

“Her absence has left a devastating void in our family – she was our only child, our whole world. We were simply enjoying a happy family day out in Manchester when this unimaginable tragedy struck. In an instant, our lives were shattered beyond repair.

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“The pain of losing her is unbearable, and we miss her more than words can ever express.”

Featured Image – GMP