A DRIVER was speeding when he crashed his high-powered car into a tree, killing himself, his sister and his partner.

Luke Morris who was behind the wheel and two of his passengers, sister Rebecca Townsend and partner Elizabeth Stanley, all died in the crash on the B4084 at Wick, near Pershore.

An inquest into their deaths was held at Worcestershire Coroners Court in Stourport yesterday (Monday) where it was revealed that Mr Morris had lost control of his car, a black Nissan 200SX, on a left-hand bend as he drove out of Pershore towards Wick.

No-one witnessed the crash on Saturday, June 9 at around 12.35am but Christopher Finch, who was with friends at Pershore Working Men’s Club, saw the group shortly before the crash when he described them as in ‘high spirits’ and ‘loud and giggly’.
He said: “There was a loud screech as the vehicle accelerated loudly and aggressively towards Evesham. He was really going for it leaving the town. My goodness it made one hell of a noise as it left Pershore. Shortly after the emergency services drove through in the same direction.”

PC Martin Dunham, a collision investigator for West Mercia Police, said it was a high speed crash and the vehicle must have been travelling well over the 50mph speed limit.
Mr Morris and Miss Stanley died at the scene and Mrs Townsend died later in accident and emergency at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.

Post-mortems revealed that Mr Morris, a 22-year-old electrician of Robins Court, Kidderminster, died following diffuse cerebral oedema and multiple injuries including cranio-facial injuries (injuries to the head and skull).
Care worker Mrs Townsend, aged 26, of Ruyhalls Place, Wick, near Pershore died of shock and haemorrhage and multiple trauma.
Miss Stanley, aged 24, of Foxholes, Kidderminster, who worked in a bakery, died of multiple trauma including a high transection of the spinal cord.
Craig Townsend, Mrs Townsend’s husband, survived the crash which left in a serious but stable condition in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

A blood alcohol test on Mr Morris revealed 47mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood which was within the legal limit of 80mg although Worcestershire coroner said the alcohol could have played a part in what happened.

The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death for each of the three crash victims. The family did not wish to speak to the media.

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