A driver’s reckless behavior resulted in the death of their best friend just one month after passing their driving test.
A young driver caused a fatal accident resulting in the death of her 18-year-old best friend. The driver was speeding and engaging in reckless behavior, only a month after obtaining her driver’s license.
- Tayla King, 18, lost control of her car on a straight stretch of road in Swansea
The court has heard that a young driver, who had recently obtained her driver’s license, was speeding and engaging in reckless behavior when she crashed and caused the death of her best friend.
Tayla King, who is 18 years old, lost control of her vehicle on a straight section of road in Swansea. As a result, she veered off the road and collided with a tree, leading to severe injuries for her passenger, Chantelle Thomas.
Despite the commendable attempts of concerned drivers who halted to assist, including a police officer on his way home after work, as well as firefighters and paramedics, Miss Thomas, who was 18 years old, unfortunately could not be rescued and passed away at the location.
The judge at Swansea Crown Court stated that a young life is a priceless gift to parents and acknowledged that no punishment from the court can provide solace to those mourning or quantify the worth of a life.
Ian Wright, who presented the case, mentioned that King had obtained her full driving license just 33 days prior to the incident. On the night of January 22nd, she drove two of her friends from their residences in the Swansea Valley to Mumbles and then returned.
Tayla King, who is 18 years old, lost control of her vehicle on a straight section of road in Swansea. As a result, she veered off the road and collided with a tree. This incident led to Chantelle Thomas, the passenger in the car (shown in the picture), sustaining severe injuries.
The passengers in the car were worried about King’s driving behavior during the evening. She was driving fast, sometimes veering into the other lane, and braking very late at red lights, which made them fear that she wouldn’t be able to stop in time.
During the trip, the court was informed about an incident in which King was driving at a high speed around the sharp curve near the ‘Big Apple’ kiosk in Mumbles. However, she accidentally ended up on the opposite side of the road. Thankfully, there were no vehicles approaching from the opposite direction.
The driver ignored warnings and requests from her passengers to reduce speed, as stated by the prosecutor. While driving back up the Swansea Valley, the defendant was observed approaching the Pontardawe roundabout at approximately 90mph.
The court was informed that one of the passengers was taken to her residence in Alltwen, leaving only King and Miss Thomas in the Citroen C1 vehicle. This car had been given to the defendant as a birthday gift from her father.
At just after 1.15am the next morning the car left the main A4067 Swansea Valley road between Pontardawe and Godre’r Graig and crashed down an embankment and into a tree.
Mr Wright stated that the Citroen sustained significant harm during the accident. King managed to free herself from the vehicle and proceeded to the road, where she signaled for assistance from a passing motorist, Rhys Lewis, a British Transport Police officer who was heading home after completing his shift.
The officer was informed by King that he had been in an accident and believed that his friend had been fatally injured.
The officer who was not on duty suggested that King should sit in the vehicle of another driver who had stopped at the location. The defendant was overheard admitting, “I was driving too fast and behaving foolishly, trying to impress others.”
The court was informed that the police officer proceeded to the car accident site and remained with the severely injured passenger, offering support by holding her hand until medical professionals arrived.
The prosecutor stated that Miss Thomas had to be rescued from the vehicle by firefighters. Despite the paramedics’ best efforts in providing advanced life support, they were unable to save her. She was declared deceased at the scene at 2.53am.
Her cause of death was later established as multiple injuries including severe brain injuries as a passenger in a road traffic collision. Get the latest crime and court stories sent straight to your email inbox with our free newsletter.
King, the driver, was injured in the accident and had to stay in the hospital for a week. She received treatment for a fractured pelvis, collar bone, as well as injuries to her spleen and kidney. In two later interviews with the police, she chose not to answer any of the questions asked.
In a statement presented to the court, Denise, the mother of Miss Thomas, expressed that her daughter was not only her best friend but also enjoyed nothing more than snuggling up with her on the couch to watch a movie.
She mentioned that her daughter aspired to become a teacher in a primary school, and she expressed the immense sorrow and destruction inflicted upon the family due to her daughter’s passing.
The mother expressed that she experienced a profound state of sadness after her daughter’s passing. She mentioned that she now faces daily challenges in accomplishing ordinary tasks. The mother shared her difficulty in walking by her daughter’s untouched bedroom and how she is reminded of the police officer who delivered the heartbreaking news whenever she enters the living room.
Despite the assistance of kind-hearted individuals, such as passing motorists and a police officer on his way home from work, along with the efforts of firefighters and paramedics, 18-year-old Chantelle Thomas tragically lost her life at the location.
She mentioned that King had shown no signs of regret or consideration by persistently sharing pictures of herself on social media after the accident.
The court was informed that the crash investigator could not determine the speed of the Citroen when it veered off the road. Additionally, there was no indication of the driver applying brakes prior to the incident.
The investigator determined that the car had started to veer and rotate towards the opposite side of the road, eventually colliding with the curb and descending down the slope before ultimately hitting a tree.
The court was informed that no mechanical issues were found with the Citroen, and blood tests confirmed that King had not ingested any alcohol.
Tayla King, who is now 20 years old and resides on Church Street in Pontardawe, had already admitted her guilt for causing death by careless driving during her sentencing hearing. It is worth noting that she has no prior criminal record.
John Allchurch, speaking on behalf of the King, mentioned that the accused, who is currently pursuing studies at a university in Cardiff, and Miss Thomas have been close friends since they were 11 years old.
He stated that the occurrence had implicated a youthful and inexperienced driver who was operating a vehicle at excessive speeds.
The lawyer presented a letter to the court that was written by the defendant. In the letter, the defendant expressed remorse for the loss of her friend and acknowledged the pain and suffering she had caused Miss Thomas’ family due to her significant error on the night in question.
Additionally, she expressed a desire to exchange positions with her friend and acknowledged that she would carry the burden of guilt indefinitely. Mr. Allchurch proposed that the court consider suspending the impending prison term.
Judge Huw Rees emphasized the value of every human life, stating that a young life brings immeasurable joy to their parents.
He remained silent and acknowledged that no court decision could bring solace to Miss Thomas’ loved ones, nor was the intention to quantify a life through the sentence.
The judge stated that a companion who was present in the vehicle during the incident described King’s driving as unpredictable and mentioned that she was exceeding the speed limit. The judge further concluded that the defendant’s driving overall was subpar.
He emphasized the significance of everyone understanding that the defendant’s sentence was not for intentional murder, but for causing a fatality due to negligent driving.
Judge Rees stated that according to the sentencing guidelines, the initial punishment should be a two-year detention. However, after considering both the aggravating and mitigating factors, the sentence was reduced to 21 months. Additionally, due to the guilty plea, a one-third discount was applied, resulting in a final sentence of 14 months.
The judge stated that since the sentence was less than two years, he had to determine if it should be served right away or if it could be postponed.
The judge concluded that the factors indicating that the sentence should not be suspended were not present. These factors included the defendant being a danger to the public, the need for immediate imprisonment as the only suitable punishment, and a history of not following court orders. However, the judge also noted that two factors supporting the suspension of the sentence were present. These factors were a genuine possibility of rehabilitation and significant personal mitigating circumstances.
King received a suspended sentence of 14 months in a young offenders institution, along with a two-year driving ban and a requirement to complete 250 hours of unpaid work.
The judge expressed admiration for the off-duty police officer and the other individuals who assisted at the scene, acknowledging their selflessness. Additionally, the judge conveyed heartfelt condolences from the court to Miss Thomas’ family.
