An inquest has revealed that the car carrying three teenagers at the time of a fatal collision split in half during the accident. The incident occurred on December 11, 2023, when an Audi A1 crashed into a bus in Coedely, Rhondda Cynon Taf, immediately killing Morgan Smith, 18, Callum Griffiths, 19, and the 18-year-old driver, Jesse Owen.
Reports highlight that each one of the passengers was thrown from the car and died from their injuries. In particular, the driver was over the drink-driving limit and could have been charged with causing death by dangerous driving had he survived.
The inquest included several eye-witness statements showing that the car was travelling at high speed before the crash happened. The Audi was heavily damaged and split in two, with no visible issues with the vehicle’s brakes or tyres. Test results also showed that Jesse Owen was over the legal limit for alcohol in his blood.
Only one person, Ellis Williams, survived the crash but suffered from life-changing injuries. Williams told the court that he had heard other passengers calling for the driver to slow down, adding that “the car had split in half into two parts”. It is not clear if seatbelts were being used by the car occupants at the time of the accident.
The group had initially been to a pub and then moved on to Tonyrefail Workingman’s Club before deciding to leave for Coedely or to Cardiff. It was pointed out that the driver was not planning on staying out with the group; he was just going to take them to Cardiff because he had work the following morning. The hearing is still ongoing
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