Police have launched an investigation after two teenage girls and a man were killed when the car they were travelling in smashed into a tree.
Joshua Parkes, 21, the car’s driver, and rear seat passengers Lucy Tibbetts, 16, and Isobel Ramsey, also 16, all died when their yellow Skoda Fabia crashed on Bromley Lane in Dudley at around 8.50pm yesterday.
Front seat passenger Nathan Cartwright, 18, and another passenger are in a critical condition in hospital.
A West Midlands Police vehicle spotted the car shortly before the crash, but said it is not clear whether a pursuit took place.
Rear seat passengers Isobel Ramsey, 16 (left), and Lucy Tibbetts, also 16 (right), died when the car they were travelling in smashed into a tree in Dudley last night
Police have launched an investigation after three of the five passengers of a Skoda Fabia were killed when their car smashed into a tree
Joshua Parkes, 21, the car’s driver, was also pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services
The deceased were among five people travelling in a yellow Skoda Fabia which crashed on Bromley Lane in the Kingswinford area of Dudley at around 8.50pm yesterday
Front seat passenger Nathan Cartwright (pictured), 18, and another passenger are in critical condition in hospital
A resident of the suburban road said they heard the crash and looked out their window to see the yellow Skoda ‘wrapped’ around the tree.
West Midlands Police have said the families of those involved have been informed.
The road was closed overnight, re-opened at around 5am, according to a neighbour.
The force initially said officers had seen the vehicle moments before the crash but did not speak with the occupants or pursue the car.
A later statement instead suggests that ‘it is not known if there was any interaction with the Skoda’ by police, and this will now be investigated.
West Midlands Ambulance Service took 18-year-old Nathan Cartwright to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Major Trauma Centre with life threatening injuries.
A police car is seen being towed away from the scene of the crash last night. West Midlands Police said ‘ it is not known if there was any interaction with the Skoda’ by police
He and another passenger, who sustained potentially life-threatening injuries, are believed to remain in a critical condition at the hospital.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: ‘Crews arrived at the scene to find a car had hit a tree, with five patients involved.
‘Sadly, it soon became clear nothing could be done to save the driver of the car, a man, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Emergency services rushed to the scene where three of the car’s occupants were pronounced dead. A teenage boy and a teenage girl also in the car are in a critical condition in hospital
‘Despite best efforts of staff, two teenage girls who were back seat passengers in the vehicle were also confirmed deceased at the scene.
‘Our thoughts go out to the families of all those involved at this time.’
Floral tributes have today been left at the scene of the crash where investigators worked through the night to clear the road and collect evidence.
Floral tributes have today been left at the scene of the crash where investigators worked through the night to clear the road and collect evidence
Sgt Dean Caswell said: ‘I’d urge anyone who saw the Skoda driving in the area last night, or who may have captured anything on dash-cam footage, to get in touch with us as soon as possible.’
Sgt Dean Caswell, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘This is a tragic time for the families of those involved, and we have specially trained officers who will be supporting them through the difficult time ahead.
‘The investigation is at a really early stage, and we’re trying to establish exactly what happened and why.
‘I’d urge anyone who saw the Skoda driving in the area last night, or who may have captured anything on dash-cam footage, to get in touch with us as soon as possible.’
Anyone with information has been asked to get in touch via Live Chat at www.west-midlands.police.uk, quoting log 4469 of 13 October.