Family of Wales crash victim Eve Smith urge police to be given ‘time and space’ to investigate
The family of one of the victims killed in a car crash in Cardiff has urged that police are given the "time and space" to investigate what happened.
Eve Smith, 21, from Newport was found dead with Darcy Ross, also 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, from Cardiff after they were reported missing along with two others at the weekend.
Sophie Russon, 20, from Newport and Shane Loughlin, 32, from Cardiff, survived the crash, which happened off the A48 near St Mellons in Cardiff, but are in a critical condition in hospital.
The group were reported missing over the weekend by family and friends, who also issued appeals for information on their whereabouts on social media, after they didn't return home from a night out on Friday evening.
In a statement, released by the family's solicitor on Tuesday afternoon, the family of Eve Smith described it as an "extraordinarily difficult time".
It reads, "We request that our privacy is respected and we are allowed to grieve in peace."
Ms Smith’s death comes eight years after her sister Xana Doyle, 19, was killed in a car crash. The driver, who was twice the drink-drive limit, was prosecuted and Ms Smith took part in a Sky TV documentary about the incident and campaigned for tougher sentences.
The statement continued: "Please note we are not going to speak to the media for the foreseeable future. Please do not try to contact our family and friends either in person or via social media.
"We want to allow Gwent Police and South Wales Police the time and space to investigate the matter in a thorough and professional way and to enable the Independent Office for Police Conduct thereafter to come to their own conclusions."
Following the discovery of the Volkswagen Tiguan in the early hours of Monday morning, neighbouring forces Gwent Police and South Wales Police referred themselves to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which was described as “in line with normal procedure”.
On Tuesday, the IOPC said it is "urgently carrying out an assessment of referrals received yesterday from Gwent Police and South Wales Police to determine what action may be required from us."
South Wales Police is leading the investigation on the road traffic collision and in a statement on Monday evening, Assistant Chief Constable Jason Davies of South Wales Police said:
“Our thoughts are with the families of all those affected by this tragic incident. Specialist officers are carrying out an 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.
“To ensure independent oversight, South Wales Police has referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, as is usual in these circumstances.”