A fundraiser has been launched to help the family of a man killed in a crash involving a stolen car in Aberdeen.
Gabriel Lungu was killed when the driver of a stolen Volkswagen Golf crashed into his white Dacia Sandero on Hilton Drive at around 6.20pm on December 30.
Ionut Draghiciu, a close friend, has set up a GoFundMe page to go towards the Romanian’s repatriation and funeral costs.
Mr Lungu, 42, was originally from Sinaia.
A target of £6,000 has been set and will be given to Mr Lungu’s wife and teenage daughter. Already nearly £2,000 has been raised.
Writing on the campaign page, Mr Draghiciu said: “On December 30 in Aberdeen, we lost Gabriel through an accident caused by two people who had stolen a car and who fled the scene.
“They didn’t look back and didn’t care what kind of person he was or about the family that were waiting at home for him.”
Mr Draghiciu added: “Gabriel was a one in a million. A kinder, friendlier, or more selfless person, you will never meet. He did everything he could to help those around him and to keep his family happy and healthy. He was the most hard working, caring man you could ever hope to know and his absence is too painful for words.
“We thank you for any donations, no matter how small. It will all help.”
Police still on the hunt for driver of stolen car
Meanwhile police are still on the hunt for two occupants of the stolen Volkswagen Golf, who fled the scene following the incident.
Officers have confirmed the car was stolen shortly before the crash and issued an “urgent” appeal to trace the driver.
The crash happened at the junction of Hilton Avenue, near Mursison Cars.
The Golf hit Mr Lungu’s car before smashing through a garden wall belonging to Brian Rhodes, leaving a cast iron gate bent in double, along with broken bricks, glass and plastic strewn across the garden.
Mr Rhodes, who has lived on the street with his wife Cathy for 44 years, urged anyone with information to come forward and said he was sure the culprits would be caught.
He said they were “lucky” a pedestrian had not also been on the road, which he claims motorists frequently speed along.
The 81-year-old said: “We’ve lived on this corner for 44 years and in this time, we’ve had a few accidents.
“Around 25 years ago, a small car landed on its roof and the council as a result put pedestrian refuges on either side of the junction, which helped a lot and for quite a few years there were no accidents.
“But it was only a matter of time before this happened.
“It’s a busy corner with pedestrians and dog walkers, and they are so lucky that nobody was in the way.
“The people responsible wanted to get away thinking they could escape the law, but the law will find them and they will have to face the questions, and I don’t have any sympathy for them at all.”
Anyone with information should call 101, quoting reference number 2559 of December 30, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.