Heartbroken Husband Shares his Story After his Wife and Dog are Struck by Driver Going 1,500 Feet the Wrong Way

A 30-year-old woman and her dog were fatally injured when a 90-year-old driver traveled nearly 1,500 feet in the wrong direction before colliding with her vehicle in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

The crash occurred on the afternoon of November 5, 2024, as Emily Thornton-Sandy was driving with her dog Scout along the A48. According to investigators, the elderly driver, John Price, had been heading the wrong way for more than 450 meters before the impact.

Price died at the scene, while Thornton-Sandy passed away six days later at a hospital in Cardiff. Scout also did not survive.

During this weeks inquest, a statement from Emilys husband, Stuart, was read aloud, in which he described the trauma of seeing his wife in the hospital. He said he hopes that sharing their story might help prevent similar tragedies, noting, Emily lost her life and I lost my future.

Crash investigator David Stacey explained that both vehicles were launched into the air upon impact and were subsequently struck by two other cars. He stated that neither driver was impaired, distracted, or unrestrained, and that weather and road conditions did not appear to contribute to the crash. The reason Price entered the roadway in the wrong direction remains unknown. According to Stacey, Thornton-Sandy had little to no opportunity to avoid the oncoming vehicle.

The hearing also confirmed that concerns about Prices vision had been previously reported to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in 2023, but testing at the time did not justify revoking his license. Additionally, Price had been assessed by a medical professional two days before the collision after a brief loss of consciousness, but doctors found no medical reason to restrict him from driving.

An autopsy determined that Price died from multiple injuries, while Thornton-Sandy suffered fatal traumatic brain injuries and tension pneumothorax.

Still grieving, Stuart said he is struggling to envision life without Emily and Scout, explaining that he felt he had lost purpose after their deaths.

Author: Maya Henderson