Clynderwen man died when his car crashed into a school bus

Today, May 26, the inquest concluded into the death of Christopher Huw Robert John, whose BMW slammed head-on into a school bus at 55mph on the A478 between Crymych and Llandissillio.

At Pembrokeshire County Hall, the coroner's court heard how, on the morning of May 17, 2021, Christopher’s BMW veered onto the northbound lane of the A478 after coming around a sharp bend, and made no evasive action to avoid the collision.

Tyre marks on the road showed the school bus did apply brakes, but the driver could do nothing as the BMW became wedged under the bus before being pushed back along the lane, with the front of the car eventually resting in the centre of the carriageway.

The school bus had been transporting pupils to Ysgol y Preseli in Crymych, and 17 children were injured in the crash and received medical treatment, but none suffered serious injuries.

The car collided with a school bus from Ysgol y Preseli. Seventeen children were injured

Presenting his evidence, Dyfed-Powys Police forensic collision investigator PC Matt Fraser said no alcohol or drugs were involved in the collision, neither victim had experienced any sort of mechanical emergency and neither had been using a mobile phone.

The reading left on the speedometer after the collision showed the bus had been travelling at 37mph, while it was estimated Christopher was going at 55mph.

PC Fraser came to the conclusion that while he had assessed what had happened, he could not understand why.

“The road surface was dry with no visibility defects,” said PC Fraser.

“The position of the sun did not play a contributing factor. There were no obvious defects to either vehicle.

"Neither driver had been exceeding the speed limit and there was no loss of control or emergency braking by the BMW before impact.

“In conclusion it was the actions of the BMW which were the cause of the collision, but I do not know why.”

A major emergency presence was called to the scene. Photo Martin Cavaney

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• Father-of-two Chris John of Clynderwen dies in crash

Christopher Huw Robert John was born September 9, 1989. The fifth of six children, he went to St Clears Primary School before moving to Whitland.

Christopher, of Jones Terrace, Clynderwen, studied theology at Trinity University, Carmarthen.

He married in 2017 and was the father of two young children.

A skilled mat bowls player, having played for county and country, Christopher had a number of jobs throughout his life including working for M&S and running his own decorating business.

At the time of his death he was a night manager at the Cliff Hotel, Gwbert, near Cardigan.

While travelling home from nightshift he was involved in the head on crash with the school bus on the A478, Llandissillio, at 8.30am.

Christopher leaves behind two children

In giving his conclusion, acting senior coroner for Pembrokeshire Mr Paul Bennett said it would never be revealed why Christopher ended up driving on the wrong side of the road.

“There is no real understanding how it was that Chris came into collision with the bus.

“The extensive investigation gives some relief that there were no environmental factors involved, although we will never know how it was that Chris’s vehicle was at one moment one side of the carriageway then in collision with the bus on the opposite side of the road.”

After a post-mortem, the short form conclusion of death was from multiple traumatic injuries to the head and upper extremities sustained in a road traffic accident.

Shortly after his death, Chris' family paid tribute to a “beloved father, husband, son and brother”.

A statement read: “Our whole family has been left devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Chris.

"Chris adored and was adored by everyone whose lives he touched, especially his two young daughters.

"While family was always his first passion, we are immensely proud of his sporting success, representing his country at short mat bowls alongside his father and younger brother.

"Our family have been moved by the support of his and our many friends, both in Llanboidy where he grew up and his home of Clynderwen."