Young driver and two passengers died in Staffordshire after he ‘lost control of car and hit tree

A teenager who had his driving licence for less than six months was killed alongside two friends he had picked up from a house party after losing control of his car on a bridge and crashing into a tree, an inquest has heard.

Driver Dafydd Huw Craven-Jones, aged 18, of Tanyfron; rear passenger Sophie Chloe Bates, aged 17, of Stafford;  and front passenger Dafydd Morgan Jones, aged 17, known as Morgan, of Coedpoeth, Wrexham, died after the crash in Cannock Road near Penkridge on May 25 last year. Another rear passenger Brooke Varley of Newport, Shropshire, was seriously hurt, but survived.

Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Assistant Coroner Miss Kelly Dixon said: "On May 25 at around 11.47pm Sophie Chloe Bates, aged 17, was the nearside passenger of a Ford Ka travelling on the B5012 Cannock Road in Pillaton. There were three additional occupants. 

"As the vehicle was travelling over a humpback bridge towards Penkridge at speed, it suffered a loss of control initially moving to the nearside verge before travelling to the opposite side of the road and colliding with an established tree."

Staffordshire Police lead investigation officer Sgt Richard Moores read aloud Miss Varley's statement in which she explained she and Miss Bates were not wearing seatbelts because it was dark when they got into the car and they could not see. She stated they had initially headed to Cannock for a drive and were returning to Penkridge when the collision happened.

She stated they asked Mr Craven-Jones to slow down because they were concerned at the manner of his driving, describing that it felt like a "roller coaster" and that she was "scared".

The hearing at Stafford's County Buildings on Wednesday was told that new driver Dafydd Craven-Jones travelled to the area to collect friend Morgan Jones who became unwell while attending a Penkridge house party with the girls.

Sgt Moores said a tracking app on Miss Varley's phone indicated the Ford reached an unverified speed of 85mph. He said an earlier video on the driver's phone recorded him saying he had slowed from 90-70mph and he thought he had picked up a speeding "ticket" which was not the case.  

The cause of death given for Miss Bates of Holden Park near Tixall was given as traumatic brain injury caused by a road traffic collision.  The Stafford College beauty student died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham three days later.

The cause of death for Mr Craven-Jones was multiple injuries and road traffic collision. The cause of death for Morgan Jones was severe head injuries and road traffic collision. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Miss Dixon recorded a conclusion at all three died as a result of a road traffic collision.

She told the families: " I want to express condolences to you all. I know attendance today is difficult  and I know attending a coroner's court is not a venue which any family member wants to attend."   

She said she would write to Staffordshire County Council's highways department after hearing that it was the second fatal crash within five months on the same road stretch. Following a crash in January last year the authority indicated it would install road markings and improve the existing bridge warning signs.