Teenager dies in horror smash

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A teenage girl was killed and two others were seriously injured in a horrific car crash on Ansty Road.



The accident happened at 11.20pm on Saturday night, when two cars collided at the junction with Woodway Lane.

A West Midlands Ambulance spokesperson said: “Crews arrived to find two cars that had been in a serious collision.

“Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent nothing could be done to save the teenage passenger in one car, and the girl was confirmed dead at the scene.

“A second passenger - also a teenage girl - suffered serious leg injuries and was trapped in the vehicle.

“She received emergency treatment and was then extricated from the car with the assistance of the fire service.

“The girl was transferred by ambulance to University Hospital Coventry for further emergency treatment.

“The driver of the car, a man believed to be in his 30s, suffered serious pelvic and hip injuries.

“He also received emergency treatment at the scene and was transferred to the same hospital for further treatment.”

The driver of the other car, also a man in his 30s, suffered multiple minor injuries. He was treated at the scene, and then taken to hospital.

Paul Branfield, 44, lives opposite the scene of the crash.

He said: “I heard a horrendous bang, and I called the ambulance immediately.

“There was somebody trapped in the car, and there was a mad panic going on. Then, suddenly, it all went quite quiet.

“I wonder if that’s when they realised a girl had died.

“People had come out of their houses, a lot of people called 999.

“I saw the fire brigade cutting one of the girls out.”

Paul, an IT Manager, says the junction is an accident black spot.

He said: “I’ve been living in this house for 13 years, and in that time, I must have seen about ten accidents here.

“It’s very dangerous.

“Two green lights come on at the same time, but their paths cross.

“I assume they both turned at the same time and one car smashed into the side of the other.

“They have to do something about this junction - it really worries me.”

Ansty Road was closed in both directions on Saturday night until about 7am on Sunday morning.

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Teen girl dead in Walsgrave smash named by police

A TEENAGE girl who died in a late-night crash on Saturday has been named by police.

Lucy Cummins, 16, was a passenger in a Mercedes CLK that crashed at the junction of Woodway Lane and Ansty Road at around 11.20pm.

Ambulance crews had said it quickly became apparent nothing could be done to save the teen and she was confirmed dead at the scene.

The driver, a 37-year-old man, was taken to hospital with serious injuries, along with a 17-year-old girl who was a rear seat passenger. Both remain in hospital, receiving treatment.

The 32-year-old driver of the other car involved in the collision, a Volkswagon Golf, also remains in hospital.

Police are appealing for information relating to the driver of a dark-coloured Ford, which was travelling on the same carriageway as the Golf moments before the collision but failed to stop.

The car had black alloy wheels, with centre caps that had been sprayed black with a distinctive red Ford logo.

Sergeant Stuart Thorpe, from the West Midlands Collision Investigation Unit, said: "We want to trace the driver or occupants of the Ford as they will be vital in piecing together the circumstances of this collision.

"We need to trace this car and urge anyone who recognises the description to contact us with information."

The West Midlands Police collision investigation unit can be contacted by dialling 101.

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Two men charged over death of popular teen in horror crash



Two Coventry men have been charged in connection with the death of a popular teen killed in a horror crash.

Lucy Commins, 16, who lived in Bedworth, died at the scene of a two-car smash in Walsgrave, Coventry, earlier this year.

She and another teenager were passengers in a Mercedes CLK when it collided with a Volkswagon Golf.

The fatal crash happened at the junction of Hinckley Road and Woodway Lane at around 11.25pm on Saturday, February 22.

Lucy went to North Warwickshire & Hinckley College and before that Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College.

The incident led drivers and people living near the scene to call for action because they say the junction is dangerous, and the council said it is looking into possible improvements.

Two men, both from Coventry, have been charged in connection with Lucy’s death. They appeared before Coventry Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Meanwhile, Lucy’s family have spoken about their “sudden and tragic” loss.

A family statement released by West Midlands Police reads: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank well-wishers and pay tribute to our beautiful daughter.

“The sudden and tragic loss of Lucy has left her family and friends devastated.

“Lucy lived life to the full.

“She loved to socialise with friends, loved animals and listening to music, she could not decide if she wanted to be a vet or a DJ.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to those who organised events and made donations in Lucy’s memory.

“Their help was very much appreciated.”

Reece Jones, aged 23, of Attoxhall Road, in Coventry, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop or report a collision and other driving offences.

Jones was remanded in custody and will next appear at Coventry Crown Court on Friday, August 8.

Marc Donaldson, aged 40, of Rigdale Close, Coventry, also appeared before magistrates yesterday. He was charged with perverting the course of justice.

He was bailed with conditions to also appear at Coventry Crown Court on August 8.

Two other men, aged 32 and 37, will appear at Coventry Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 19, in connection with the collision.

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Drivers who caused the death of Bedworth teenager Lucy Commins in car smash are jailed



Two men who caused the death of the Bedworth teenager when they took part in a road race on a street in Coventry have been jailed.

Lucy Commins, 16, was the passenger in a Mercedes, when it collided with a VW Golf being driven by Sean Sparkes in Ansty Road, Walsgrave, in February.

The former Nicholas Chamberlaine school pupil was killed instantly in the crash.

Sparkes, of Nuneaton Road, Bulkington, was said to be racing his car against a Ford Fiesta being driven by Reece Jones, aged 23, at the time of the crash.

Both had previously admitted causing the 16-year-old’s death by driving dangerously, perverting the course of justice and causing serious injury to another person in the Mercedes.

Jones, of Vincent Wyles House, Attoxhall Road, Wyken, managed to avoid crashing his car into the Mercedes and sped off from the scene of the crash in an effort to avoid detection.

He hid the Ford Fiesta ST and changed its appearance to try and deceive the police, but officers found him driving it a week later.

Jones was disqualified from driving at the time of the crash.

After the crash Sparkes, of Nuneaton Road, Bulkington, deleted the contents of his mobile phone which linked him to Sparkes.

Today, at the crown court in Leamington, Sparkes and Jones were both hit with substantial prison sentences.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Sylvia De Bertadano told them it didn’t matter which car struck the vehicle that Lucy was in.

In a statement Lucy’s family said she was “a princess” from the moment she was born.

They said: “Lucy was a very happy, caring girl who loved life and enjoyed spending time with friends and family.

“Lucy was a typical teenager who had lots of goals and aims in life. She couldn’t wait to leave college, pass her driving test and eventually start a family of her own.

“Lucy had so much life ahead of her and we will all miss out on seeing her achieve her goals and grow into a woman. The whole family is broken and we will never be the same again.

“All the material possessions in the world could never replace a child. We would rather be penniless and living in a cardboard box if it would mean having our little girl back.

“We will never again be able to hear her voice, hold her close, see her smile or hear her cheeky laugh.

“Any sentence given will never be enough as it will not bring our baby back.

“The people responsible have not only taken Lucy’s life, they have taken the life from our whole family. We are left serving a life sentence.

“Lucy’s four-year-old niece says goodnight to the stars and kisses Lucy’s picture every night, and her 10 year old niece wrote about her and said ‘she used to look after me and my little sister and she used to take us everywhere. I still can’t believe I’m not going to see her again until I go to heaven.’

“The family would like to thank everyone concerned for their help and support at this difficult time. It is the only thing that’s kept us going.”

Sparkes, aged 32, was jailed for a total of six years and six months.

He was given five years and nine months for causing death by dangerous driving and another nine months for perverting the course of justice.

Sparkes was also handed a concurrent two year six month sentence for causing serious injury to the other passenger in Lucy’s car by driving dangerously.

He was disqualified from driving for four years and will have to take an extended re-test when he is legally allowed to return to the road.

Jones, of Vincent Wyles House, Attoxhall Road, Wyken, was jailed for a total of seven years and three months for death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.

He was disqualified from driving for five years.

Two other men are due to appear at court on December 12 in connection with the collision.

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Third driver guilty of causing teenager's death in Ansty Road horror crash

The driver of the car in which tragic Bedworth teenager Lucy Commins died when he pulled out in front of two cars racing each-other at high speed has been convicted of causing her death.

Ross Clark had pleaded not guilty to causing 16-year-old Lucy’s death by careless driving and then failing to provide a blood sample when required to do so.

But a jury at Warwick Crown Court took just an hour and nine minutes to find him guilty by a unanimous verdict.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Clark, 38, who was living locally at the time but now of London Road, Seven Oaks, Kent.

Rejecting an application for bail and remanding him in custody, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano commented: “He has fought this trial in the face of overwhelming evidence.

“I take the view there are substantial grounds to believe the defendant would be likely to fail to attend for his sentence. Frankly, this family has been through enough.”

The court had heard that in February last year Lucy and a friend had been out celebrating on the day before the friend's 17th birthday.

They went to the Craven Arms pub in Coventry where Clark was also drinking with someone who knew the friend's mother.

At about 11pm Clark left the pub with the two girls in the back of his Mercedes CLK to get some cigarettes from a nearby service station.

But on their way back Clark had to make a right turn onto the Ansty Road dual carriageway – and turned into the path of two cars, a VW Golf and a Fiesta, which were racing each-other along Ansty Road at 70-75mph.

The Fiesta driver managed to swerve round it, but the Golf ploughed into the side of the Mercedes, killing Lucy and badly injuring Clark, who still walks with crutches, and her friend.

The two other drivers were jailed last year as the Telegraph reported at the time.

Witnesses who rushed to the scene described Clark as smelling of drink, said prosecutor Mark Loram.

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Third driver jailed for role in death of teenager Lucy Commins



A driver who caused the death of a teenager by driving into the path of vehicles that were racing in Coventry has been jailed for seven years.

Ross Clark, aged 38, had been drinking in the Craven Arms pub in Woodway Lane, Woodway Park, before the collision in Ansty Road, Walsgrave, that killed 16-year-old Lucy Commins last February.

The Bedworth teenager had been in the pub celebrating her friend’s birthday when Clark, who had never met them before, offered to take them to a petrol station to buy cigarettes.

On the return journey Clark, of Sevenoaks in Kent, turned his Mercedes CLK into the path of two vehicles near the junction of Woodway Lane.

One of those vehicles hit the Mercedes killing Lucy almost instantly.

Today at the crown court in Leamington, Clark was jailed for seven years.