Family condemn driver on drugs who killed man
THE devastated family of a passenger killed in a drug-drive crash condemned the “selfish” driver after he was jailed over the tragedy.
Harry Smart’s family said he was “driven to his death” by Thomas O’Brien-Wood, who police said was drunk and tested positive for alcohol and cocaine.
The 20-year-old died when O’Brien-Wood, aged 21 and from Dudley, crashed a Ford Fiesta into an oncoming vehicle after driving the wrong way on an M42 slip road into oncoming traffic at Junction 9, the Dunton Interchange near Curdworth, in October 2022.
His driving was so bad that police had already abandoned a chase for safety reasons.
O’Brien-Wood, 21, of The Beck, Dudley, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for seven-and-a half-years at Warwick Crown Court, last month.
He was also banned from driving for eight years and nine months.
Now Mr Smart’s family have spoken and said their son was “beautiful and one-in-a-million”.
In a tribute relatives said: “Harry was the gentlest of souls, never judging anyone and always there for everyone.
“On the night he was driven to his death by Thomas O’Brien-Wood.
“All he did was put his trust in
someone who was not a close friend but an acquaintance, a friend of a friend who he trusted to get him home safely.
“Instead, that person so selfishly took Harry’s life, through his own very selfish choices and actions.
“Nothing will bring our beautiful one-in-a-million Harry back, we can only hope this highlights the huge risk for people who think ‘it will never happen to me,’ will never make the decision to trust people who they do not really know and get in a car with them and leave it to chance that they are drug and alcohol-free.
“Please take a taxi. Thomas O’Brien-Wood chose to be uninsured, not stop for police, be under the influence of drink and well over the limit for cocaine.
“Harry was simply a passenger with no drugs in his system, in a vehicle that was driven in a manner that not only killed Harry but could have caused harm or even further deaths.
“One car flashed, another steered
out of his path while driving down the M42 the wrong way to try to warn him and make him stop. Luckily, they are OK and alive but it could have been so different.
“Thomas O’Brien-Wood’s irresponsible, selfish, dangerous, reckless choices and actions have left an entire family and friends heartbroken with the loss of our much-loved ‘Big H’.
“Thomas O’Brien-Wood drove Harry to his death bringing to the forefront the devastating effects of driving while under the influence of both drugs and alcohol and not abiding by the laws of the road.
“Although a seven-and-a-year sentence was given, this will never be enough and our youngsters on the road need to be made more aware of the dangers out there.
“Harry will forever be in our hearts, his life nothing but a series of memories that won’t surpass his 20 years – ‘missed beyond words, loved for eternity’.”