British teen killed in France road crash

Published on Monday 17 August 2009 13:54

A BRITISH teenager was killed and three others critically injured in a car crash in France.

Ben Crozier, 19, was killed after the Peugeot 206 he was travelling in with five other friends veered off the road on a bend and overturned in Betplan, near Marciac, in south west France.

Mr Crozier, a student from Shepton Mallet, in Somerset, was visiting his father Steve, who lives in France after separating from his mother.

He was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash at around 6.10pm British time on Friday August 14.

Mr Crozier's mother flew out to France after learning of the news.

Mr Crozier's friend Dicken Richards, 18, also from Shepton Mallet, is in a medically-induced coma in Toulouse Hospital with his family beside him.

He suffered serious head and chest injuries, his stepfather, Jon Maine, said today.

Mr Maine said local police believed the car was overloaded and speeding

when the driver, a British man now living with his parents in France, lost control.

The driver and his front seat passenger were not seriously hurt in the accident.

"Dicken is going to be in a critical condition for the next week, I've just got back from France but I am flying out there again this afternoon with his sister, his mum Juliet is already there," he said.

"He is in a well-equipped neurological unit and is in the best place possible.

"Our focus is on him at the moment and getting him better.

"The medical treatment he has received has been exceptional, they sent out three air ambulances to the scene.

"Reports that we are getting is that the car was overloaded and was going too fast, it clipped a kerb on a bend and rolled over.

"Three of them were thrown out of the car.

"The driver is a year or two older than Dickens and lives out there with his parents."

Another two Britons suffered serious injuries, one of them a broken neck, but are said to be stable in hospital.

Local newspaper reports said the group were travelling from Semboues, where one of them lives, towards Montegut-sur-Arros for a party.

The Sud Ouest newspaper said local accident investigators say alcohol or drugs were not a factor in the accident.

Friend Scott Confrey, 22, said Mr Crozier had recently finished a business course at Strode College in Street, Somerset.

He said they had both lived in Grace Harris House, in Shepton Mallet, a supported living scheme for 16 to 24 year olds.

"Ben's mum and sister are now in France, Ben goes out there to see his dad once or twice a year," Mr Confrey said.

"I'm friends with everyone in the group, I've spoken to two of them, Sam Miller and Tom Wise, who was hurt with two broken ribs and a broken collar bone. He will be back home in a few days.

"Its awful what has happened, I was the first to find out on Saturday and had to tell people.

"Ben was a really good guy, he was really funny and we were all really close."