Teenager fights for her life after man crashes car

A silver Peugeot 206 smashed into the back of a parked white Mercedes in Alinora Avenue, Goring, at 5.10pm on Tuesday.

Two men aged 20 and 21 were arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving with excess alcohol and of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. They were taken into custody for interview and further enquiries.

Owner of the Mercedes Neil Cooper, 51, was in his home office at the time of the incident.

He said: “I heard this horrendous noise and I looked out the window and saw my car getting lifted up the road. I don’t think I will forget that noise.

“I ran out and shouted to my daughter that somebody had smashed my car, it was carnage. Straight after the accident, one of the lads got out and was mouthing off to everyone. People were telling him to sit down and he was all over the place.”

The road was closed in both directions while the emergency services worked to free two of the passengers trapped in the back of the car.

A woman aged 18 and two girls, aged 14 and 15, were travelling as passengers.

The 15-year-old woman was taken to St George’s Hospital in London by air ambulance, where she is currently in a critical condition.

The 14-year old and the 18-year old were taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, where their conditions were described as stable.

Bruce Chalmers, 67, of Alinora Drive, said: “I heard the most almighty screeching and then this very loud thud as it hit the other car and shunted it 10-15 yards up the road.

“I went across to see what had happened. The lads were bare-chested and the driver was obviously hurt. The other lad was quite agitated and didn’t want any help. People were trying to assist them.”

Mr Chalmers said he asked the girl who had managed to get out of the car if she was ok. She replied that she was but had the ‘most awful ringing’ in her ears.

Phillip Ellis, 68, of Alinora Avenue, was upstairs in his front bedroom when he saw the incident unfold.

He said: “It’s tragic. I rang the police straight away. I couldn’t get to sleep last night thinking about it.”

Residents of the road suggested something needed to be done to prevent speeding in Alinora Avenue.

Mr Chalmers said motorists ‘wanting to go quickly’ used Alinora Avenue to avoid speed bumps in nearby Aldsworth Avenue.

Mr Cooper added: “They really need to do something about the road. We get a lot of speeding down here.”

Worthing Fire Station commander Roy Barraclough was at the scene of the crash. He said excessive speed was a key factor in incident and ‘it was obvious they weren’t doing 30 mph’.

Crash investigators were at the scene until 10pm.

Sergeant Alan Spicer, of the Sussex Road Policing Unit at Arundel, said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen this crash or may have seen the small silver hatchback in the area just beforehand. If you have any information, please contact us via 101 or email collision.appeal@sussex,pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Oracle.”