A 17-YEAR-OLD girl and her two pals died in a horror crash when their car lost control and smashed into a tree, an inquest heard.
Sophie Bates, 17, Dafydd Huw Craven-Jones, 18, and Morgan Jones, 17, tragically died on May 25 last year.
The crash happened on a humpback bridge in Penkridge, Staffordshire, at 11.47pm.
The inquest into their deaths held at Stafford Coroners Court heard Dafydd was the driver of the black Ford KA that collided “head-on with an established tree”.
Sophie died three days later in hospital, while Dafydd and Morgan were declared dead at the scene.
Dafydd went to pick his three friends up from a house party in Penkridge and beforehand took a video of himself saying he drove 90mph in a 70mph zone.
He had only been given his driving licence six months before the crash in November 2023.
But Dafydd had no drink or drugs in his system and there is no evidence he was using his phone at the time of the collision, the court heard.
The fourth passenger, Brooke Varley, also 17 at the time, survived.
Although severely injured, Brooke survived the crash and the inquest heard she “regrets” that she did not put her seatbelt on when she got in Dafydd’s car because it was dark and she could not find it.
In a statement read out at the coroners court, Brooke described a “rollercoaster feeling in my tummy” before the car swerved and she blacked out.
A tracking app on passenger Brooke Varley’s phone “indicated a maximum speed of 85mph had been reached at some point during the 15-minute journey”.
In a statement released after the collision, Brooke, the sole survivor of the crash, said she was “so upset to have lost such amazing people from [her] life”.
In a tribute to her friends, she said she was “so upset to have lost such amazing people from my life”.
Brooke added: “Sophie was the kindest person who lived her life to the fullest.
“She is my inspiration to get better and do everything she didn’t get a chance to do. She will forever be in my heart.
“Morgan was one of the funniest people I know. He was always respectful, kind and sweet. He always looked out for me.
“Daf had a kind soul and loved his friends. I’m thinking of their families at this sad time and everyone who is affected by this tragic incident.”
Assistant coroner Kelly Dixon recorded a short form cause of death as road traffic collision.
“As the vehicle travelled over a humped back bridge towards Penkridge, at speed, it suffered a loss of control,” she said.
The inquest heard evidence that Dafydd was wearing his seat belt but Morgan was wearing only the shoulder strap and was sitting on the lap belt in the front passenger seat.
Neither Sophie nor Brooke were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision on the 60mph road.
Ms Dixon said she was satisfied on the balance of probability that “inappropriate speed over the humped back bridge” caused a loss of control.
There were no problems with the car that caused the crash and it had been correctly insured and had a full MOT, Sergeant Richard Moors from Staffordshire Police added.
The horror crash took place after the two boys travelled 60 miles from Wrexham, North Wales, to see the girls for a night out.
Both Dafydd and Morgan were keen rugby players and played for Wrexham RFC’s youth team, who described them as “good friends on and off the field of play”.
‘SORELY MISSED’
Sophie’s family said their “Princess” would be “sorely missed and loved eternally”.
In a moving tribute, Sophie’s family said: “Our Princess Sophie, the best big sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend to many, was so strong on the outside but truly so kind hearted and thoughtful inside. Full of fun and beyond witty.
“We were so proud of the young adult Sophie was becoming, with the life plans she was putting in place.
“Excelling in college and her work placement, full of drive and ambition to have her own business. Sophie loved her friends and was enjoying embracing her teenage life and having the best time.
“Our darling girl Sophie, will be sorely missed and loved eternally. Forever in our hearts, 17 always.”
The inquest heard there have been three serious crashes on the same road since 2017, with another fatal crash occurring in January 2024.
Staffordshire County Highways said there were no issues with speed or the road conditions, but that it would make changes to enhance the road markings and the signage.
Ms Dixon demanded to know why the changes had not already been made, as she recorded the deaths as being the result of a road traffic collision.
She said: “Consideration is being given to enhance signage and the road markings but no action has yet been taken.
“I will be issuing a prevention of future deaths report to Staffordshire County Highways in respect of my concerns.”
