This is the first picture of the ‘fun-loving’ 91-year-old who died in a road crash that also claimed the life of a police officer who starred in TV programme Road Wars.
Gladys Goodwin was in the passenger seat of a car which flipped over when it became involved in a dramatic collision just yards from her daughter’s home in Berkshire.
Mrs Goodwin and Police Constable James Dixon were killed instantly in the crash, which was today remains under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
The grandmother’s family have described their heartbreak at her death on the A4 near Wargrave and say they will be ‘completely lost without her’.
Gladys Goodwin, 91, died on Tuesday in a crash that also claimed the life of PC James Dixon, who was known as ‘Dixie’ by friends and on the show Road Wars
The police officer posted photographs on social media, showing him pulling off impressive stunts on his motorbike
Her daughter Sandra said: ‘Mum was a fun loving jolly lady that everybody loved as soon as they met her.
Her daughter Sandra has described their heartbreak at her death on the A4 near Wargrave and say they will be ‘completely lost without her’
‘Mum and I used to have regular monthly trips to Christchurch in which we met up with friends and had lots of laughs. She never wanted them to end but I used to tell her that we are coming back in a few weeks’ time and that was okay then. We were together nearly all hours of every day.
‘I will be completely lost without her. She was full of fun and laughter and never had a bad word to say. Mum also leaves behind a son, brother, cousin, two grandchildren, which were my children, and two great grandsons.
‘She will be now be reunited with her other grandson, Tom, and husband, Joe.. I will remember her as the perfect Mum that everybody would want.’.
PC James Dixon, who was known as ‘Dixie’ by friends and on the Sky One show, was killed in the collision at 2pm yesterday.
The driver of the car was rushed to hospital, but her injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. Her 91-year-old passenger Gladys Goodwin died in the crash.
PC Dixon, who was based at Lodden Valley police station, lived in Thatcham with his wife Samantha, 34, who is due to give birth to their child early next year.
Dozens of people posted tributes on Facebook, with many saying they had watched him on the programme which followed the work of Thames Valley Police officers.
Police forces across the country have also paid tribute to the newlywed, who was set to become a father in March next year. His wife is six months pregnant.
In a further tragic twist, the daughter of Mrs Goodwin is still mourning the tragic of her 17-year-old son Thomas and his girlfriend in a double fatal crash in 2011.
Sandra Blunden, 62, lost Thomas in the high speed crash involving his newly-bought Ford Fiesta which span out of control on the A404 in March 2011.
At an inquest into their deaths a coroner recorded verdicts of misadventure after hearing Thomas had panicked and over-steered the car just before the crash.
PC Dixon is pictured here on the right apprehending a suspect during an episode of Sky One’s Road Wars. He starred in three series of the show
The police officer was riding his force motorbike when he collided with a car. Both PC Dixon and a 91-year-old woman were killed in the incident
Friends said that Ms Blunden and husband Renee had still been grieving over the death of Thomas who had just passed his test when the crash happened.
The latest tragedy happened just yards from the Blunden family home, when a car carrying great-grandmother Mrs Goodwin was involved in a crash with police motorcyclist James Dixon, 39, on the busy A4 road at Hare Hatch.
Mrs Goodwin was in the passenger seat when the impact happened. Both the officer and the OAP were certified dead at the scene of the crash.
The woman driver, who has not yet been named, was taken to hospital with minor injuries. She was understood to have been aged in her 30s.
Today police were at the Blundens’ home and Mrs Blunden and her daughter Bethany were later taken away in a police car and driven away.
They arrived back later and Mrs Blunden drove away in her dark grey car which had a personalised numberplate spelling out her son’s name, ‘Tom’.
A patrol car was parked in front of Mrs Blunden’s semi-detached home in the quiet Berkshire village, the day after her mother was killed just a few yards away.
Mrs Blunden had earlier answered the door of her £900,000 cream-painted home alongside an officer but did not say anything.
She was later seen getting into the police car along with a woman who was believed to be her daughter Bethany, before the pair were driven away.
One of her neighbours, who asked not be named, said: ‘It’s really upsetting.
‘She’s a really close friend so it’s not for me to say anything. It’s up to Sandie to say something when she’s ready.’
Neighbour and retired factory worker Michael Weal said that he saw a helicopter in a field close to the junction and later helped direct traffic back down the road as police closed the junction.
‘I heard the sirens and then the air ambulance came over the tops of the trees so I went out to see what was going on,’ he said.
PC Dixon was best known for starring in Sky’s Road Wars, a reality TV show following officers from Thames Valley Police
‘It’s awful what’s happened and that’s the second crash at that junction in two years. Blake Lane’s effectively a country lane so people come tearing down and then (the A4) is 50mph in places but people don’t stick to the limit.
‘At the end of the day it won’t be the last accident to happen on this road. They need to make the A4 a 40mph road all the way from Maidenhead to Reading. That might have some effect. It’s just terrible what happened.’
Meanwhile bouquets of flowers were piling up at the scene of the crash, many with messages for the fallen constable James ‘Dixie’ Dixon.
A 52-year-old retired police officer, who asked to remain anonymous but claimed to be one of PC Dixon’s former sergeants, sobbed as he came pay his respects.
‘He was a really good bloke. A really, really good bloke,’ he said. ‘He was really good at his job, a real team player.
‘He was great with everyone. I used to be his sarge. He was a really fine officer. I must have known him for about 20 years.
Tributes have been paid on the social media accounts of police forces across the country
‘Everything that happened, the situation – I don’t think it could be any worse, with the time of year. It’s a tragedy, it’s just awful.
‘He’ll always be respected because he was very good at his job. Never forgotten.’
Nuts and bolts along with smashed glass and broke plastic could still be seen in the road today with tyre tracks showing the car turning into the junction.
One of the bouquets of flowers, left next to debris had the words: ‘Dixie, taken too soon. Rest in peace. PC7111 Cadmore.’
Another message read: ‘Rest in peace Dixie. Never forgotten.’
The officer had only married last year and was well known in the Thames Valley Police force after making an appearances on the TV programme Road Wars.
Friends confided today how PC Dixon had told them his exposure on TV was curtailed because of how he let the odd swear word slip while on camera.
The dramatic incident, which has been referred to the independent police watchdog the IPCC, happened on the A4 near Wargrave, just before 2pm
Friends laid flowers at the scene in memory of the two casualties, and a JustGiving page was also set up online by the editor of a police publication.
He stated that the proceeds of the collection would be split evenly between the families of both the police officer and the elderly woman passenger.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said that a roads policing investigation into the cause of the crash was underway although no arrests had been made.
The woman driver of the car was taken to hospital with minor injuries and was expected to be questioned later today about what happened.
The police spokesman said that he was not part of the traffic department but was a patrol officer who specialised in riding a police motorcycle.
Specialist family liaison staff were understood to be looking after Mrs Dixon. PC Dixon was on routine patrol and not on an emergency call when the crash happened.
PC Dixon starred on three series of Road Wars in the mid 1990s
Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Francis Habgood revealed that the death of PC Dixon had left the force devastated.
He added: ‘My officers, staff and I were devastated to hear the very sad news about our colleague PC James Dixon, aged 39 years and the 91-year-old woman who died as a result of a road collision yesterday.
‘James was a hugely respected officer, serving with the force for 18 years in a variety of roles including in Local Policing, Roads Policing and Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations.
‘In policing we often talk about the strength and importance of the police family and that is never more so as we share in the pain of loss and offer support to one another at this time of need.
‘We have received countless messages of support from other forces and our emergency service partners, demonstrating that our policing and emergency services’ family extends far beyond our own borders.
‘I also extend our thanks to our communities and other agencies for the many messages of condolences we have received.
‘Our thoughts remain with PC Dixon’s family and friends, as well as those of the 91-year-old woman, at this very difficult time.’
He added that all the force flags would be flying at half-mast for the next week as a mark of respect.
Stephen Kavanagh, chief constable of Essex Police, tweeted: ‘Such sad news. On behalf of all Essex Police our love, solidarity and support are with PC Dixon’s family, friends and colleagues.’
Tributes have also poured in on Thames Valley Police’s Facebook page for PC Dixon, who starred on three series of Road Wars in the mid 1990s.
Sue Brown wrote: ‘Absolutely shattered cannot believe this awful new one of the most lovely person I have ever met thinking of his beautiful wife and family at this very sad time along with all his police family too R I P Dixie’.
For two series Dixie was regularly filmed on patrol with his partner, Martin ‘Yorkie’ York
Bernadette Allison posted: ‘God bless you Dixie, you made me laugh with your wicked sense of humour. My heart is heavy with your loss, thinking of Sam and all your family and friends. It’s just not right or fair!’
Andrew Fogarty added: ‘RIP Dixie! Loved seeing you on Road Wars, you were a right character and very cheeky! In all seriousness, i extend my condolences to both families at this time! Such a tragedy!!’
The bodies of Mrs Goodwin and the policeman were taken to the mortuary at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where a pathologist was expected to carry out post mortem examinations to establish the exact causes of their deaths.
The Berkshire coroner, Peter Bedford, was also informed of the double death and was expected to open and adjourn an inquest in the next few days.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: ‘As is standard procedure, due to the fact that the incident resulted in the deaths of a member of the public and an on-duty police officer Thames Valley Police has made a mandatory referral to the IPCC who have begun an investigation.’
IPCC Associate Commissioner Guido Liguori said: ‘We have been notified by Thames Valley Police of a collision on the A4 near Reading, in which, tragically, a 91 year old woman and a police officer have died.
‘My thoughts and sympathies are with their families and friends and the colleagues of the officer at this very difficult time.
‘IPCC investigators are attending the scene as part of an independent investigation to determine the circumstances which lead to the collision.’
A spokesman for the IPCC said tonight that the car involved in the collision with PC Dixon’s motorbike was a red Toyota Aygo. The woman driver, who was slightly injured, has not been named although it is believed she was in her 30s.