18-07-2025
Four university students killed in 94mph car crash after drunk driver lost control
Four students died when a car crashed into a building after its drunken driver lost control at 'grossly excessive speed'.
Makyle Bayley, 22, Eva Darold-Tchikaya, 21, Anthony Hibbert, 24, and Daljang Wol, 22, died at the scene of the crash in Magdalen Street, Colchester, shortly before 4.40am on Feb 1.
All four were students at the University of Essex and were born in London.
Toxicology results showed that Mr Bayley, who was driving the Ford Focus, had a blood alcohol level of about 2.5 times the drink drive limit, Essex Coroner's Court heard on Friday.
Analysis of footage from a CCTV camera 170 metres away from where the car crashed showed it was travelling at about 94mph in a 30mph zone.
Lincoln Brookes, Essex's senior coroner, said the medical cause of death for Mr Bayley and Miss Darold-Tchikaya was severe traumatic head injuries, and for Mr Wol and Mr Hibbert it was multiple injuries.
Mr Brookes concluded all four died as a result of a road traffic collision.
He said that Mr Bayley 'had lost control of his vehicle due to grossly excessive speed, approximately 94mph in a 30mph zone, and alcohol intoxication '.
Mr Brookes said they were students at the University of Essex and three of them were promising basketball players, 'all of them with a lot of potential and dreams for the future'.
They met up for an 'ordinary night out as students', then all four got in a black Ford Focus ST.
He said: 'I'm quite satisfied that three of them were under the influence of alcohol, Makyle Bayley over 2.5 times the limit for drink driving in this country, and for what it's worth, his two male friends were also in drink but of course they weren't driving. I note that Eva it seems had not been drinking at all.'
The vehicle's off-side wheel hit a small island and it went across the opposite carriageway, over the footpath, hitting steps outside a property, which sent the car turning and collided roof-first on its side into a building, ending up either wholly or partially inside the building, Mr Brookes said.
He said: 'There was no possibility of these individuals ever being saved.'
Family tributes were read to the court by the coroner.
Mr Bayley was described as a 'truly remarkable young man whose light and energy touched all who knew him'.
Mr Wol's family said he was 'always encouraging those around him to strive for the best', and added: 'We wish to convey to the inquest that Daljang was a valued member of not just his family but his community.'
Mr Hibbert's family said: 'It's difficult to summarise 24 years of memories, love, joy and happiness in one sitting, but what we can take away from today is that TJ has played an important role in our lives. He knew how to live life to the fullest.'
And Ms Darold-Tchikaya's family described her as a 'calm and kind soul'.
They said: 'There are no words to describe our despair and pain, we will miss our beautiful daughter until the end of time.'
