Man stole taxi and died in crash

A 22 year old man, Kian Collier, tragically lost his life after stealing a taxi and crashing it on the A55 while nearly three times over the drink-drive limit, an inquest in Ruthin heard.

The assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, Kate Robertson, concluded that Mr. Collier's death was due to a road traffic collision in Dwygyfylchi, Conwy. The incident occurred in the early hours of October 28 when Mr Collier, from Old Colwyn, took the white Hyundai Ioniq without the driver's permission.

He subsequently crashed the vehicle on the A55's eastbound carriageway near Penmaenmawr headland, suffering multiple injuries and not wearing a seatbelt at the time. The stolen taxi belonged to Bangor's Premier Group, which confirmed the theft.

Gordon Saynor, a forensic collision investigator with North Wales Police, told the BBC that Mr. Collier was driving well above 30mph. A pathologist's report revealed that he had 224mg of alcohol per litre in his blood, significantly exceeding the legal limit of 80mg per litre.

Ms. Robertson's conclusion reiterated the tragic nature of the accident, stating: "To lose somebody in such circumstances is incredibly tragic," reports North Wales Live.

In remembrance, Mr. Collier's family paid tribute to him as a "shy lad" who "excelled in all sports".