Two siblings accused of engaging in a fatal crash that claimed the life of a father and resulted in serious injuries to his nine-year-old son were allegedly racing each other and described as a pending disaster, as per statements in court today.
Abubakr Yusaf, 31, a locum optometrist, and Umar Yusaf, 35, residing on Esmond Road in Manchester, are denying charges of causing the death of Rhys Jenkins, 41, a rugby referee from Deuddw, Powys, due to dangerous driving on the A483 in November 2024. Additionally, they deny causing severe injury through dangerous driving, with Abubakr also denying causing death while being uninsured.
During the trial at Mold Crown Court, it was revealed that the brothers were driving a BMW and an Audi on the A483 south of Welshpool between 6pm and 6:30pm on November 16, 2024, when the tragic incident occurred.
According to the prosecutor, David Mainstone, Abubakr’s excessive speed and risky overtaking led to him losing control of the BMW, causing it to veer into the oncoming lane where the fatal collision with Mr. Jenkins occurred without any chance for evasive action.
The court heard that Abubakr was allegedly encouraged by his brother, leading to the catastrophic outcome for the father and son duo.
An eyewitness, van driver Ryan Jones, recounted seeing lights approaching fast behind him, followed by a BMW overtaking on a bend in a dangerously reckless manner. He described the move as unnecessary given the clear road ahead, with the subsequent collision resulting in a loud impact.
The witness mentioned observing a Toyota Yaris spinning and ending up in a ditch, with the young boy, Ioan, found unconscious. When asked if he was surprised by the incident, Mr. Jones responded that it was inevitable given the high speed on such roads.
Ioan was airlifted to Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool for treatment following the crash.
Mainstone alleged that the brothers were engaged in a race and were a disaster waiting to happen, holding both responsible for the tragic outcome. Several other witnesses also believed the siblings were racing each other.
After the collision, the Audi stopped in front of the wrecked BMW, and the prosecution claimed that the brothers fled the scene after one urged the other to leave. Subsequently arrested, they refused to cooperate with the police during questioning.
The court was informed that the BMW had initially veered towards the side before losing control and swerving into oncoming traffic, with airbag data indicating a speed of over 63mph at the time of impact.
The prosecutor highlighted that the car began to fishtail before crashing into Mr. Jenkins’ Toyota, resulting in fatal consequences for the victim.
Mr. Jenkins tragically lost his life at the scene of the accident, and the trial is ongoing.