Husband Speaks After Wrong-Way Driver Kills Wife and Dog on A48 After Driving Nearly 1,500 Feet

Wrong-way Collision on A48 Kills Two — Family Left Devastated

A 30-year-old woman and her dog were killed after being struck by a 90-year-old motorist who had been driving the wrong way for roughly 450 metres (about 1,476 feet) on the A48 in Carmarthenshire, Wales, an inquest heard this week.

The crash occurred on the afternoon of Nov. 5, 2024. Police identified the victims as Emily Thornton-Sandy, 30, who was driving with her dog Scout, and 90-year-old driver John Price. Price died at the scene; Thornton-Sandy was taken to a Cardiff hospital and died six days later. Scout also died as a result of the collision.

Inquest Details and Investigation

Dyfed-Powys Police crash investigator David Stacey told the inquest that the initial impact — which happened between two local roundabouts — was severe enough to send both vehicles airborne, after which both cars were struck by two further vehicles. Stacey said there was no evidence that either driver was under the influence of alcohol or distracted by a mobile phone, and that both were wearing seatbelts. He added that weather and road conditions were unlikely to have contributed.

Stacey told the court that why Price drove the wrong way remains unknown and that Thornton-Sandy had "little time, if any, to avoid" the oncoming vehicle.

Medical and Licensing Background

The inquest heard that concerns about Price's eyesight had been raised with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in 2023. An eyesight test was carried out but did not produce sufficient evidence to revoke his licence, according to evidence presented at the hearing. Two days before the crash, Price was examined by a medic after an episode of fainting or losing consciousness; that assessment did not find a medical reason to prevent him from driving.

Causes Of Death

Autopsy results presented at the inquest recorded that Price died of multiple injuries sustained in the collision. Thornton-Sandy's cause of death was listed as tension pneumothorax and traumatic brain injury, officials said.

Family Response

"Nobody should have to see their wife as I saw Emily in hospital," Stuart Thornton-Sandy said in a statement read by Coroner Paul Bennett during the hearing. "Emily lost her life and I lost my future. I want to do what I can to prevent other families from losing someone in such a cruel way."

Stuart later added that he never envisaged living without his wife and that he felt bereft after losing both Emily and their dog, Scout.

The Coroner's Office for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire has not issued further comment beyond the inquest evidence, and police say their findings are based on the investigators' testimony at the hearing.

What Comes Next

The inquest has raised questions about how medical and licensing assessments are handled for older drivers following a medical episode and concerns about eyesight. The family have called for steps to prevent similar tragedies, while investigators continue to review the available evidence presented at the hearing.