Parents' plea after crash kills daughter
The devastated parents of a young mother who died in a crash after drinking at a party today pleaded for others not to do the same.
Samantha Evans died in the early hours of February 22 after her Rover 200 flipped onto its side at the junction of Great Bridge Street and Dudley Street in West Bromwich. Black Country Coroner Robin Balmain yesterday recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision.
An inquest heard she had earlier been drinking vodka at a house party.
Following the verdict her father Daniel Evans said: "Just don't drink and drive, it is simple."
He said Samantha's children Brogan, six and Billy, two "have their good days and their bad days" and still ask after their mother. He added: "People say it gets easier. It gets harder."
Her mother Denise added: "We have got no life now, we are devastated."
Samantha, aged 26, of Westbury Road, on the border of Wednesbury and Pleck, was confirmed dead at the scene after the crash at 12.30am. Her partner Ashley Richards suffered minor injuries.
The inquest at Smethwick Council House heard Samantha, a volunteer helper at a Wednesbury primary school and a Rainbows leader, died as she drove home from a party at her sister Natalie's house in Davey Road.
Natalie, who now lives in Bloomfield Road, Tipton, said her sister had been drinking vodka but there had been a row and Samantha was "drunk and angry" when she decided to leave.
Mr Richards, from Berkshire Crescent, Wednesbury, told the hearing: "She didn't drink regularly, but when she did drink she would drink a lot I didn't want her to drive the car, I tried to stop her."
He said he was shouting for her to slow down and estimated the car going up to 70 mph.
The inquest was told the couple were not wearing seatbelts and the back tyres were defective, although thiswas not the cause of the crash. PC Steve Jubb said it was likely Samantha had failed to slow for a bend and hit the kerb, before hitting the posts of a pelican crossing and a parked Mercedes Benz.
