Tribute paid following fatal collision in Southampton

A tribute has been paid to ‘a loving, generous, energetic man with a kind and selfless heart’ following a fatal collision in Southampton.

Hampshire police were called at 8.16pm on Wednesday 8 July to reports of a collision on the A3057 Romsey Road.

A white Mercedes, travelling westbound towards Lordshill roundabout, and an Allegro electric pedal bike that had travelled from a pathway leading from Boniface Crescent on to Romsey Road, collided with one another.

The cyclist – 37-year-old Alexandru Cosmin Oprea – was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family have now paid the following tribute to him:

“A father, a husband, a son, and a brother has left this world, carrying in his heart a deep longing for home. Alex passed away far from his family, but from this day forward he will remain forever close, in the hearts of those who loved him.

“On the evening of 8 July 2026, Alexandru Cosmin Oprea, aged 37, tragically lost his life in a road traffic collision in Southampton while cycling home on his electric bicycle.

“It is an unimaginable tragedy that has left behind a grieving family, three children without their father, and a void that can never be filled.

“Born in Timișoara, Romania, where he lived and worked as a bodyguard and security officer, Alex loved his family above all else. Together with his wife, Simona, he built a home founded on love, faith, and sacrifice. Their three children—David (15), Ștefania (9), and Matei (4)—were the light of his life.

“He had travelled to England only three weeks earlier in search of better-paid work, hoping to provide a brighter and more secure future for the people he loved most.

“His beloved daughter, Ștefania, will forever cherish the memory of running into her father’s arms every time he came home. Little Matei will continue to ask, with the innocence only a child can have, “Where is Daddy?”

“The love Alex shared with his wife, Simona, will remain her unseen shield and the strength that will help her carry on. We pray that God gives her the strength to be both mother and father to their children, preserving the light, values, and memory of a man who loved his family until his very last breath.

“A mother searches for her son in the faces of her grandchildren. A sister searches for her brother in the cherished memories of their childhood.

“Alex was a loving, generous, energetic man with a kind and selfless heart. He had a great passion for sport and passed that passion on to his son, David.

“When words can no longer ease the pain, sport becomes silence, discipline, and a promise. For Alex, the boxing ring and the gym were never just places to train—they were places where character was built, where courage was forged, and where he learned to rise every time life knocked him down.

“That strength is the legacy he leaves to David. Father and son shared training sessions, dreams, and those meaningful handshakes that said without words, “I’m proud of you, my champion.”

“One of Alex’s greatest joys was seeing David accepted into the Sports High School in Timișoara. It was a dream they had built together, fulfilled only a short time before fate cruelly separated them.

“From this moment on, the torch is carried forward. Every time David steps into the ring, he will carry with him his father’s courage and strength. His dream of becoming a professional athlete is now more than a personal ambition—it is a legacy, a promise, and a commitment made in his father’s memory.

“A father never truly leaves when he lives on through a son who carries his name, his dreams, and his courage.

“You will remain forever in our hearts, dear Alex. May God grant you eternal rest.”

The driver of the Mercedes – a 40-year-old man from Southampton – was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink driving, and has been bailed until 9 October while further enquiries continue.

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