Teenagers jailed for causing death of Denbighshire’s Olivia Alkir by dangerous driving

Two teenagers have been jailed for five years for causing the death of a 17-year-old girl as they raced their cars in Denbighshire last summer.

Olivia Alkir of Efenechtyd, died at the scene following the two-vehicle collision on the B5105 on 27^th June.

She was a passenger in a Ford Fiesta and three other occupants from the same car were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

18-year-old Thomas Quick from Clawddnewydd and a 17-year-old boy from Dyffryn Clwyd, who cannot be named for legal reasons both pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Mold Crown Court today.

They also pleaded guilty to four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Although not directly involved, Quick was racing with the 17-year-old driver who crashed into a Mercedes which was travelling in the opposite direction.

The 52-year-old male driver and 76-year-old female passenger were also taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Investigating officer, PC Rich Witham from the roads policing unit said: “The dangerous and reckless driving by the 17-year-old, who had only just passed his driving test the day before, and Thomas Quick has cost the life of 17-year-old Olivia Alkir and devastated her family’s life in the space of a few seconds.

“We hope the sentence handed down by the court sends a stark warning to anyone who takes irresponsible and dangerous risks on the roads is simply not worth it.

“Although both must now face up to their actions and justice has been delivered, no sentence can compensate for the loss of life and the distress caused to Olivia’s heartbroken family, friends and the wider community.”

Olivia’s family have issued the following statement: “We would like to thank the police and our whole community for the support and love which they continue to show us.

“Olivia was a loving, vibrant, beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her.

“She was smart, ambitious, passionate and full of fun.

“She never failed to show care and compassion to all those she knew, and had a positive attitude and joy for life that brought so much happiness to her friends and family who loved her.”

“She was our world and the best daughter anyone could ask for. We will never recover from losing our gorgeous girl. We wake to a living hell every day.

“Olivia’s death and the life changing injuries inflicted on the other victims were a tragedy that should never have happened.”

“This was not a random accident. This was a calamity caused by the reckless and criminal actions of two young men who played Russian roulette with the lives of their passengers and other road users, which resulted in taking a life and causing severe injuries to four other innocent people.

“Nothing will bring Olivia back and nothing will mend our broken hearts. However, we welcome the fact that these two young men have pleaded guilty today to their crimes, and accepted responsibility for their actions.

“We don’t want any other family to go through what we are going through because it is unbearable. No thrill is worth this amount of pain. Therefore this needs to be a lesson for all of us as a community, for all parents, guardians and relatives of young drivers to educate them about the consequences of dangerous driving, and to properly understand the responsibility they have for innocent lives when driving.

“The best gift that anyone could give us would be to make sure that this never happens again. Let that be Olivia’s legacy.”