Three teenage boys killed in horror crash after ‘car split in half’
Three teenage boys tragically lost their lives on their way back from a funeral after their car collided with a bus, resulting in the vehicle being "split in half", an inquest was told on Friday. Driver Jesse Owen, 18, who was over the drink-drive limit, was transporting six friends in an Audi A1, which is only designed to carry five people, when the fatal accident occurred.
Jesse, along with champion kickboxer Callum Griffiths, 19, and Morgan Smith, 18, died from blunt force trauma following the crash, where the car was seen travelling at "very high speed" with personalised plates and tinted windows, reports The Daily Record[1].
The group had attended a funeral for the father of front seat passenger Ellis Williams before visiting a pub and a working man's club, where they each consumed three pints. In his statement, survivor Ellis recalled Jesse driving "fast" and approaching a bend where they encountered the bus head-on
Ellis remarked: "I didn't take much notice of what the boys were drinking because it was my father's funeral. Jesse was going to drive us. He wasn't going to come out with us as he had work in the morning."
"They were big lads so they would have been sat on top of each other in the back. I put my belt on, I don't know if the boys in the back had their seatbelts on. I don't know if Jesse was wearing a seatbelt. I didn't take any notice."
Ellis recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the tragic accident. He said: "I thought Jesse was going fast but I didn't worry. We went around the bend and I heard Sam say 'woah woah' before the bend."
Following the curve in the road, Ellis saw fear on Jesse's face. "I didn't realise what was happening I looked to my right and I could see Jesse looked scared." It became apparent that disaster was imminent as an oncoming car forced Jesse back into his lane: "A car kicked out around the corner and Jesse tried to get back in."
The collision with a bus happened suddenly, as Ellis recalls gripping the side door in anticipation of impact: "We knew we were all going to hit the bus - I held the side door."
Jesse's side struck first and Ellis's airbag deployed. "As we hit the bus Jesse's side made the first contact with the bus. My airbag went off and I hit my head on it."
After the crash, Ellis found himself alone in a split vehicle: "I looked to my right and nobody was sat next to me. I looked behind and none of the boys were there. The car was split in half it was in two parts." Amid the screams, Ellis struggled to locate his friends: "I could hear people screaming. I didn't see where anyone was thrown."
He walked around the devastating scene, encountering his friends injured on the ground. His statement to the police sheds light on their activities before the incident. Despite Jesse texting his mother about not drinking due to work commitments the following day, evidence conflicted with this claim at the Pontypridd inquest.
A post-mortem examination revealed Jesse had 113mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, surpassing the legal limit of 80mg, and testimony from a barmaid indicated the group had consumed several drinks each. The friends were returning from a funeral when their car collided with a Stagecoach bus at Coedely, near Tonyrefail, on December 11 last year.
Jesse's parents described him as a "careful and considerate" driver and expressed disbelief in the possibility of him driving recklessly.
Witnesses expressed their shock at the speed of the Audi A1 as it sped through the South Wales Valleys roads just moments before the tragic accident. Huw John, who was walking his dog at the time, recalled a friend pointing out the car and exclaiming: "Look at the f***ing speed that is travelling at".
Mr John recognised the personalised plates of the car as it "flew past us", identifying it as Jesse's vehicle before it disappeared from sight. He added: "I remember thinking 'Jesus Christ that car was driving too fast'."
However, Jesse's father Justin defended his son's driving abilities, stating that despite being a relatively new driver, Jesse was "experienced" and competent behind the wheel. He said: "We can honestly say he was a safe and careful, considerate driver. Living in a small community if he was driving anti-socially we would have heard about it.
"If speed was a factor we would be surprised by that as Jesse was just not known for driving like that by us or anyone we know. We trusted Jesse because we knew him as a person and we knew his character. He was a good person with a kind, generous heart and a loyal friend."
He revealed that he knew Jesse and his friends were going to a wake but insisted that Jesse "only ever drank occasionally and was not a big drinker". He added: "We do not feel he would have consumed anywhere near the legal limit of alcohol because we spoke about drink driving and the dangers of it all his life."
"He may have had one or two drinks but when Claire text him after the service he said he was taking the boys to Cardiff but he wasn't drinking with them as he had work in the morning."
The other two survivors were identified as Sam Griffiths, 18, and Lucas Vaughan, 19. Callum, from Porth, passed away at 8pm due to a head injury, while Morgan, from Clydach Vale, succumbed to injuries to his face and neck at 8.09pm.
Jesse, the driver from Penygraid, died from injuries to his head and chest. The hearing in Pontypridd is ongoing. In tributes shared through the police, Jesse's family described him as someone who had "a presence that would light up any room."
They added: "He was loved by all who had the honour of knowing him. He was the most loving, happy kind, calm and beautiful soul. He would do absolutely anything for anyone. He loved his family and friends and was loyal to the core."
"Jesse loved his boxing, watches and socialising with friends. He has left a huge void in all of our hearts and our lives will never be the same without him."
"He will be sorely missed by his parents, grandparents, brothers and extended family. We are all truly heartbroken." Morgan's family remembered him as "a popular boy" and a "well-loved son, brother, grandson, nephew and cousin."
They said: "Morgan was best known as a talented boxer previously gaining a Welsh title. He was an up-and-coming star with a promising boxing career ahead of him." The family of Morgan released a statement filled with profound grief: "We as a family are devastated by the loss of Morgan, we have been left with a void that can never be filled. We love you our boy."
Callum Griffiths (Image: PA)
They went on to express gratitude: "We would like to thank all the emergency services that assisted at the scene."
In their time of mourning, the family pleaded for understanding: "Please could you respect our privacy whilst we grieve the loss of Morgan."
In another heartfelt tribute, the family of 19 year old Callum Griffiths from Porth described their unbearable pain: "Callum had the most beautiful smile that would light up the room. He was the most precious gift of a son and our love is endless."
They further shared, "Our hearts have been broken into a million pieces, broken beyond repair. He was so loving and had a caring soul. He has left a hole in our hearts that cannot be filled."
The family recalled his formidable achievements: "Callum was a world champion in Kickboxing and achieved numerous Gold medals and has represented Wales in different countries all over the world."
They also highlighted his professional success: "Callum qualified as a Barber just over a year ago. He was a passionate, hard-working and a dedicated Barber. And we are so very proud of him. We are proud of everything he's achieved."
The eulogy ended with a touching message: "We love you 'Champ'."
Morgan Smith (Image: PA)
References
- ^ The Daily Record (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
- ^ Celebrations and Quality Street fans urged to swap Tesco and Aldi for Asda (www.examinerlive.co.uk)