Driver tried to keep passenger safe in fatal crash
A PUB chef threw his arm out to protect his passenger when his car left the road at high speed before rolling down a bank, an inquest heard.
Thomas Callard-Williams, 26, did not regain consciousness after his Volkswagen Polo left the A48 at Crack Hill, Bridgend, late on April 29 last year.
Mr Callard-Williams, from Cardiff, subsequently died at the University Hospital of Wales on May 2.
A post-mortem examination found Mr CallardWilliams died after suffering a cardiac arrest after experiencing a serious brain injury and pulmonary contusions.
The former Radyr Comprehensive School pupil become a fully qualified chef at the Claude in Roath.
Mr Callard-Williams had been working at the Ship Inn in Barry for a month before the fatal crash.
He had finished work that day at around 10.30pm before having one pint and leaving the pub with fellow employee, Emily Conibear, who was drinking at the pub that evening.
Pontypridd Coroner’s Court heard last Wednesday that Mr Callard-Williams stretched his arm in front of Ms Conibear moments before his car left the road.
A statement from Ms Conibear was read by assistant coroner Nadim Bashir in which she described how the pair had driven around Barry “talking and getting to know each other” instead of heading home.
Ms Conibear’s statement described how Mr Callard-Williams was driving very fast.
The statement said: “I was aware that we were travelling away from the Barry area and I then felt the car was losing control.
“I can’t remember a loss of speed. I remember Thomas extending his left arm across my body. The next thing I remember is waking up and feeling upside-down.”
Ms Conibear’s statement explained how Mr Callard-Williams was unconscious at this point and she attempted to wake him up before leaving the car to find help at the nearby Golden Mile Chinese restaurant, which was empty, before stopping a driver on the carriageway, who assisted Ms Conibear and phoned the emergency services, who arrived shortly after midnight on April 30.
The car rolled down an embankment through several trees and was left on its roof.
Emergency services arrived shortly after midnight and took Mr Callard-Williams to be treated at the Princess of Wales Hospital, and he was later transferred to the University Hospital of Wales.
Speaking at the inquest, PC Carl Smith, of the South Wales Police roads policing unit, explained that the car lost control and crossed to the opposite side of the carriageway, where it left the road.
Using the tyre marks left on the road by the car as well as CCTV footage provided by the Golden Mile, PC Smith estimated that the VW Polo was travelling at between 93mph and 115mph.
He concluded the speed was “likely to be the main factor in the reason why this vehicle left the road”.
Mr Bashir recorded a conclusion that Mr Callard-Williams died as a result of a road traffic collision which caused a traumatic brain injury resulting in pulmonary conclusions and a cardiac arrest.
In a statement, Mr Callard-Williams’ family said: “He was a gentleman to the very end.
“This was our son and brother.”