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A tragic traffic accident on the A48 in Carmarthenshire resulted in the deaths of two individuals after a four-car collision caused by a 90-year-old driver traveling nearly 450 meters in the wrong direction on a dual carriageway. The incident took place on the eastbound side of the A48 between Cross Hands and Pont Abraham. At approximately midday on November 5, 2024, John Howell Price, driving a Toyota, struck a Ford driven by 30-year-old solicitor Emily Thornton-Sandy.
Mr. Price died instantly at the scene, while Mrs. Thornton-Sandy succumbed to her injuries six days later at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales. Tragically, her dog, Scout, also lost its life in the crash. Two other vehicles—a Renault and a BMW—were involved and sustained damage following the initial collision between the Toyota and the Ford.
During inquests held at Llanelli Town Hall, details emerged from Dyfed-Powys Police crash investigator David Stacey about the circumstances leading to the crash. Mr. Price had apparently exited a junction on the eastbound carriageway and then made a right turn, driving westward in the eastbound lanes. His vehicle collided with Mrs. Thornton-Sandy’s car, with both vehicles reportedly becoming airborne before being struck by other cars. Dashcam and CCTV evidence confirmed Mr. Price’s incorrect direction of travel. Despite having been seen by a medic two days prior after an episode of fainting or loss of consciousness, there was no medical disqualification preventing Mr. Price from driving.
Mr. Stacey also noted that neither driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs; both had used seatbelts, and no evidence suggested mobile phone use at the time. The weather was dry and overcast, and the road condition was good. Although there was a traffic sign instructing drivers to turn left at the junction, the reason Mr. Price drove the wrong way remains unknown. The speedometers of the vehicles involved stopped at 43 mph and 62 mph respectively, both within the 70 mph speed limit. The coroner, Paul Bennett, recorded that death for both parties was caused by the road traffic collision.
In a separate hearing, it was revealed that concerns about Mr. Price’s eyesight had been raised with the DVLA in 2023 following a police report, leading to an eye test. However, the results did not find him unfit to drive. Emotional statements were read at the inquest, including one from Mrs. Thornton-Sandy’s husband, Stuart, who expressed the profound grief he experienced witnessing his wife’s hospitalization, lamenting the loss of his future and purpose. Mrs. Thornton-Sandy’s parents described their devastation at losing their only child in what they called an avoidable tragedy. The cause of Mrs. Thornton-Sandy’s death was attributed to tension pneumothorax and traumatic brain injury, with the coroner also concluding her death was due to the collision
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