Father of woman who died in crash describes heartbreak

‘Nothing will be the same, it’s like déjà vu’: Devastated father of young woman who died in horror Cardiff car crash eight years after her sister was also killed in smash describes heartbreak of losing both his daughters at floral tribute

• Everton Smith, 60, paid tribute to daughter Eve Smith, 21, in Wales on Thursday
• It comes after her sister Xana Doyle, 19, was killed in a car crash eight years ago 

The father of one of the three victims of a car crash in Cardiff has said losing his daughter was like ‘déjà vu’ after her sister also died in a crash eight years ago.

Everton Smith, 60, the father of Eve Smith, 21, who died in the collision, said his daughter was ‘everything a father could wish for’ and ‘nothing will be the same’. 

Miss Smith’s death comes comes eight years after her sister Xana Doyle, 19, was killed in a car crash by a driver who was twice the drink-drive limit. 

Mr Smith said it was like ‘nothing anyone could expect to go through’ while speaking in front of floral tributes laid for his daughter in Newport’s Commercial Street on Thursday.

Eve Smith and Darcy Ross, both 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died in the collision, which happened on the A48(M) near the St Mellons area of Cardiff in the early hours of Saturday March 4.

Everton Smith (left), 60, the father of Eve Smith (right), 21, who died in the collision, said his daughter was ‘everything a father could wish for’ and ‘nothing will be the same’

Miss Smith’s death comes comes eight years after her sister Xana Doyle (pictured), 19, was killed in a car crash by a driver who was twice the drink-drive limit

Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were also travelling in the white Volkswagen Tiguan, remain in a critical condition in hospital.  

Mr Smith added he was unsurprised about the floral tributes left for Miss Smith as there was ‘something special’ about his daughter. 

The group had been to The Muffler social club in Maesglas, Newport, on Friday night and then travelled just under 40 miles to the Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl.

Investigations are still ongoing to establish the exact time of the crash. South Wales Police said they are still working to ‘piece together’ what happened. 

In a statement, the force said: ‘South Wales Police is continuing to investigate the fatal road traffic collision on the A48 in the St Mellons area of Cardiff.

‘Our thoughts continue to be with the families and all those affected by this tragic incident. 

‘Specialist officers are carrying out a detailed investigation to piece together what has happened. 

‘Family liaison officers are supporting the families involved at what must be a hugely difficult time for them.’ 

Tributes were paid to the victims of the car crash in the Welsh Parliament on Wednesday. 

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the actions of South Wales Police and Gwent Police during the search for the group who were not found until just after midnight on Monday, March 6.

It comes after the heartbroken ex-girlfriend of one of the three people killed in a horror car crash in South Wales has shared video of the moment she embraced one of the victims for the final time. 

Charleigh Glanville released the footage of her last hug with Rafel Jeanne, 23, with the pair exiting the very car he would die inside in a crash on the A48 on the outskirts of Cardiff last week. 

In an online tribute, she said: ‘The night before you lost your life. I will forever cherish that hug. RIP my friend. 

‘Never did I ever imagine I’d be saying this. Even though we had more than a friendship at one stage I’m so glad that I can say we remained friends no matter the situation and I’m so glad that after a whole year I got to see you the night before you lost your life. It really is true when they say the good die young. You will truly be missed.’

Mr Jeanne was found dead alongside Eve Smith and Darcy Ross, both 21, inside the wreckage of the VW Tiguan after a two-day search by their families, friends and emergency services. 

Passengers Shane Loughlin, 32, and Sophie Russon, 20, were cut from the wreckage and remain seriously injured in hospital. The sixth passenger in the vehicle, who escaped the crash after being dropped off shortly before the car left the road, was Joel Lia, 27. 

The footage showed the moment Rafel Jeanne exited the vehicle and hugged his friend for the last time 

Mr Jeanne (pictured) Eve Smith and Darcy Ross, both 21, were found dead inside the wreckage of the VW Tiguan after a two day search

Eve Smith (L) and Darcy Ross (R) both 21, were found dead inside the wreckage of the VW Tiguan after a two day search by their families, friends and emergency services.

Sophie Russon, 20, was cut from the wreckage and remains seriously injured in hospital

Passengers Shane Loughlin, 32, survived the crash and remains seriously injured in hospital 

The sixth passenger in the vehicle, who escaped the crash after being dropped off shortly before the car left the road, has been confirmed as Joel Lia, 27

In the footage, Mr Lia is captured stepping out of the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Mr Jeanne emerges from the rear and embraces Miss Glanville, who he allowed to drive the car. 

Mr Jeanne and Mr Lia had been out for a drive that evening with Miss Glanville and another friend, Izzy Sinnott. Ms Sinnott also arranged to meet Mr Jeanne in Cardiff on Saturday night. 

‘I was texting him on Saturday night and when he didn’t reply I thought that’s a bit strange,’ she said. ‘Then I heard from Joel and he said the same thing – that he couldn’t get hold of Rafel.

‘We were good friends, I hadn’t seen him for ages but we got together on Thursday night. It was just for a drive, we parked up in Cardiff and then dropped Charleigh off before we went for a McDonalds, me Rafel and Joel.

‘Joel took me home and asked to see me on Friday but I was going out with the girls so we arranged to meet on Saturday instead.’

Ms Sinnott added that he was was ‘funny, very popular and lovely. He was always so caring and would text or phone asking if I was alright.’

Charleigh Glanville, pictured with Rafel Jeanne, shared a poignant tribute to her ex-partner online 

Charleigh Glanville wrote: ‘Even though we had more than a friendship at one stage I’m so glad that I can say we remained friends no matter the situation and I’m so glad that after a whole year I got to see you the night before you lost your life’. 

She shared sweet snaps of the pair together alongside a tribute on social media 

Mr Jeanne was reconnecting with friends after coming out of prison a month ago, she said, but it was the first time she and Miss Glanville had met Mr Lia.

Mr Jeanne, Mr Lia and Mr Loughlin met Eve, Darcy and Sophie in a social club known as The Muffler in Newport on Friday night. They later got into the nine-year-old car and drove 38 miles to Porthcawl where Mr Loughlin has a caravan.

Revealed: Son of ex-Cardiff footballer Leon Jeanne was among five young revellers in horror smash after night out which killed three 

 

Following an altercation at the caravan site, they drove back to Cardiff where they dropped Mr Lia near his home, filled up with petrol, and headed to Newport to take the girls home.

The car was on a roundabout after coming off the A48M when it crashed at 2am on Saturday morning. 

Ms Sinnott said: ‘It’s awful, I hope it was instant for Rafel, I can’t bear to think of anything else. I’ve locked myself away in my room ever since – I have lost a good friend.’

Earlier this week, the heartbroken father of Eve Smith paid an emotional tribute to his daughter, saying he would give ‘anything to hear her sing a song again.’ 

Everton Smith said: ‘I would give anything to hear her sing a song again, fly high my queen, I loved you more than words can say.’

The 60-year-old, of Newport, added: ‘It’s taken a couple of days and I just can’t believe what has happened, the pain and numbness constantly reminding me that I will never see my beautiful daughter Eve again.’

Ms Smith’s death comes eight years after her sister Xana Doyle, 19, was killed in a car crash caused by a driver who was high on drugs and twice the drink-drive limit. 

Earlier this week, the heartbroken father of Eve Smith paid an emotional tribute to his daughter, saying he would give ‘anything to hear her sing a song again.’ 

Mr Smith called his daughter a ‘queen’ in an emotional and heartbreaking tribute 

Eve (left with mother Emma, stepfather Tony and her brother) in the Sky TV show This is Our Family, which followed their lives after the death of her sister Xana in a car crash in 2015

Eve Smith, 21, (pictured), Darcy Ross, 21, and Sophie Russon, 20, were friends since infant school 

The family later took part in a Sky TV documentary about the incident and campaigned for tougher sentences. 

Earlier this week, the mother of Sophie Russon, who survived the crash, hit out at police, saying she had to go looking for her herself after police insisted she was ‘probably out partying’.

Anna Certowicz revealed that her was ‘conscious some of the time’ in the car after it ran off the road and had ‘called out but no one was close enough to hear her.’

Mother-of-three Anna was one of 200 people out searching.  At one point Ms Certowicz was just 20 yards from the wreckage without realising. 

She revealed a woman volunteer with her dog found the crashed VW Tiguan – not the police.

‘It’s too awful to imagine what she went through trapped in the car in the dark until it got light and then dark again over two days,’ she told MailOnline. ‘Sophie was lying there for all that time, they could all have been found much quicker if the police had started searching straight away.

‘It wasn’t even the helicopter who found them even though it flew over a few times.

Anna Certowicz, 42, (pictured with Ms Russon, right) believes her daughter and her two friends met Mr Jeanne and Mr Loughlin for the first time on the night of the tragedy 

The scene in the St Mellons area of Cardiff where three people who disappeared on a night out died in a road traffic accident

A message left with floral tributes left near the scene in the St Mellons area of Cardiff

‘RIP Darcy’: A message left with floral tributes left near the scene in the St Mellons area

‘I love you forever and always’ Balloons and flowers have been left near the site 

Friends and family gathered at the site after the car was found to release balloons and set off fireworks in memory of those who have died 

Fireworks lit up the night sky as many mourners spoke of their anger at how the police had handled the incident 

‘It was one of the volunteer searchers with a dog, if she hadn’t gone into the trees they would still be there now.’

Gwent Police and South Wales Police have insisted they located the wreckage of the car using a helicopter. 

Anna, 41, has hit out at Gwent Police for not responding urgently when the five were reported missing.

She said: ‘They didn’t take it seriously, they kept saying she’s 20 and they are all probably out partying. I told them my daughter doesn’t go out on three day benders – she and her friends are good girls. It was out of character for all of them.

‘I was ringing the police all through Saturday and Sunday but they didn’t seem bothered. Then all of a sudden, I don’t know what happened, but the police started ringing me asking for a photograph and a description.’

Gwent Police has been referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct who will carry out an investigation. 

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