Police pinpoint exact minute of Cardiff crash that killed three friends
Police have pinpointed the exact minute a car carrying five friends crashed off a road in Cardiff.
Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21, were found dead along with Rafel Jeanne, 24.
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were still alive found badly injured in the wreckage next to their dead friends.
Officers have now revealed the car veered off the busy dual carriageway at 2.03am last Saturday morning.
It was obscured by trees for 46 hours before being spotted just after midnight on Monday.
Detectives are now they are appealing for help from anyone who spotted the nine-year-old white VW Tiguan in the moments leading to the tragedy.
Their appeal comes after a sixth passenger in the car came forward and gave police a ‘full account’ of his last hours with the five friends.
Friend Joel Lia, 27, was dropped off just a short time before the car veered off a busy road into woodland in Cardiff – and was not found for another 46 hours.
Mr Lia has ‘fully co-operated’ with police investigating the tragedy at the end of a night out where the six went to a seaside caravan park after drinking in a nightclub.
Officers are trying to piece together the group’s movements in the build up to the crash and are combing through CCTV and number plate recognition cameras for the white VW Tiguan driven by Mr Jeanne.
A police spokesman said: ‘The families of Rafel Jeanne, Darcy Ross and Eve Smith, who died in the collision, continue to be supported by specialist family liaison officers. Post Mortem examinations are ongoing.
‘Two further people remain at the University Hospital of Wales.
‘Following extensive enquiries, which have involved studying CCTV and number plate recognition cameras in the area, the time of the collision has been confirmed as 2.03am on Saturday, March 4.
‘The white Volkswagen Tiguan vehicle left the carriageway into a wooded area.
‘Detectives investigating the collision are now appealing for anyone who was in the area or who may have been travelling east along the A48 Eastern Avenue between Cardiff and the St Mellons off slip which links to the roundabout of the A48, B4487 and Cypress Drive (near Blooms Garden Centre) who may have dashcam footage from this time to come forward.
‘They also want to speak to anyone who was travelling in this area and may have seen the Volkswagen Tiguan.’
Police say the appeal is for witnesses who may have seen the vehicle and there is no suggestion that another vehicle was involved in the collision.
Assistant Chief Constable Jason Davies of South Wales Police said: ‘The investigation is making good progress in piecing together the events leading up to the collision.
‘Specialist officers will continue to carry out a detailed investigation which will enable us to provide the facts of what happened during the early hours of Saturday morning.
‘Our thoughts continue to be with the families and all those affected by this tragic incident. Family liaison officers are supporting the families involved at what must be a hugely difficult time for them.’
The last confirmed sighting of the friends was at 2am on Saturday when Mr Lia was dropped off in nearby Pentwyn, Cardiff, just two miles from the scene of the tragedy.
A source said: ‘He has been cooperating fully with the officers in the case and is understandably very upset by the events of that night.’
Mr Lia was with Mr Jeanne, Mr Lia and Mr Loughlin who met Eve, Darcy and Sophie in a social club known as The Muffler in Newport on Friday night.
They later got into the car and drove 38 miles to Porthcawl where Mr Loughlin has a caravan.
Mr Jeanne was a ‘very close friend’ of Mr Lia and they had been out the night before the tragedy.
The five friends were not discovered in the overturned car until just after midnight on Monday.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hoborough of Gwent Police said: ‘This is an extremely sad situation, and our thoughts are with the families and friends of each of the young people involved.
‘We will continue to support the investigation and would ask members of the public to refrain from speculation during this period.’
Gwent Police and South Wales Police will be investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct over their handling of the case.
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