Tragedy as three teenagers die in horror crash on country lane after house party

Dafydd Huw Craven-Jones lone had his driving licence for little than six months anterior to the clang successful Penkridge, Staffordshire, which killed him and passengers Morgan Jones and Sophie Bates

A teenage operator and 2 of his passengers died aft helium lost power of his car connected a span and crashed into a tree, an inquest has heard.

Dafydd Huw Craven-Jones, 18, picked Morgan Jones, Sophie Bates and Brooke Varley, each 17, up from a location enactment successful his Ford Ka to spell for a drive. The operator mislaid power of his car "at speed" connected a humpback bridge, mounted a writer verge and careered onto the different broadside of the road, hitting a tree.

The driver, Morgan and Sophie died successful the collision, which happened successful Penkridge, Staffordshire, astatine 11.47pm connected May 25 past year. Their inquest connected Wednesday heard Dafydd was not acquainted with the country and was driving astatine an "inappropriate velocity implicit the humped backmost bridge" connected a 60mph agrarian lane.

But Dafydd, who suffered aggregate injuries, had nary portion oregon drugs successful his strategy and determination is nary grounds helium was utilizing his telephone astatine the clip of the collision, the inquest was told.

Assistant coroner Kelly Dixon said she volition contented a prevention of aboriginal deaths study to Staffordshire County Highways urging them to marque improvements to the B5012 Cannock Road, wherever determination had been 3 superior crashes connected the aforesaid roadworthy since 2017, with different fatal clang occurring successful January 2024.

Neither Sophie, from Stafford, nor Brooke, from Newport, Shropshire, were wearing seatbelts astatine the clip of the collision connected the 60mph road, portion Morgan was wearing lone the enarthrosis strap and was sitting connected the thigh loop successful the beforehand rider seat.

Brooke survived the smash but was severely injured. The teen told the inquest heard she "regrets" she did not enactment her seatbelt connected erstwhile she got successful Dafydd's car due to the fact that it was acheronian and she could not find it.

In a connection work retired astatine the coroners court, Brooke described a "rollercoaster feeling successful my tummy" earlier the car swerved and she blacked out. She had besides felt "scared" Dafydd was driving excessively accelerated and had asked him to dilatory down.

Morgan, who suffered a terrible caput injury, and Dafydd were pronounced dormant astatine the scene. Sophie died 3 days aboriginal astatine the Queen Elizabeth Hospital successful Birmingham aft suffering a traumatic encephalon injury.

In a connection work retired astatine the inquest, Dafydd's parent Paula Craven-Jones said she had been successful the car with her lad connected a fig of occasions since helium passed his trial and had nary concerns astir his driving ability.

His car had been correctly insured and had a afloat MOT, and determination were nary defects with the conveyance that contributed to the crash, Sergeant Richard Moors from Staffordshire Police said.

Recording their deaths arsenic being the effect of a roadworthy postulation collision, Ms Dixon said: "Dafydd suffered a nonaccomplishment of control, mounting the nearside verge earlier travelling to the other broadside of the road, colliding with an established tree. The driver's broadside spot had been struck from down by a rear spot rider who wasn't wearing a seatbelt.

"At slightest 1 rear rider was thrown guardant into the driver's seat. That interaction is apt to person contributed to the grade of Dafydd's injuries.

"The interest present is that I americium alert that hazard reports person been submitted to Staffordshire County Highways successful regards to this collision and different earlier fatal collision successful January 2024.

"Consideration is being fixed to heighten signage and the roadworthy markings but nary enactment has yet been taken. I volition beryllium issuing a prevention of aboriginal deaths study to Staffordshire County Highways successful respect of my concerns."