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Teenager charged with causing horror crash deaths

A teenager has been charged with causing the deaths of a husband and his young son alongside a married couple in a road crash.

Elliott Bower is accused of driving a VW Golf which crashed into a VW people carrier after being pursued by police in Sheffield at about 8.50pm on Friday evening.

The 18-year-old has been charged with four counts of causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the incident in Darnall and will appear in court on Monday morning.

He is also charged with handling stolen goods and possession of cannabis.

Police have also charged Declan Bower, 23, with aggravated vehicle taking and death caused by an accident with aggravated factors.

Sheffield road crash
A floral tribute left at the scene where three adults and a one-year-old child died in a car crash (Dave Higgens/PA)

He is also charged with handling stolen goods, two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of driving without insurance, possession of a bladed article and possession of cannabis.

The pair will appear before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning.

Adnan Ashraf Jarral, 35, and his son Usman Adnan Jarral died when Mr Jarrel’s VW Touran people carrier was hit by a VW Golf which was being pursued by police.

Husband and wife Miroslav Duna, 50, and Vlasta Dunova, 41, also died in the crash on Friday evening.

Police said two women aged 22 and 32 and a three-year-old girl – believed to be Mr Duna and Mrs Dunova’s 22-year-old daughter Nikola, her young daughter Livia Matova, and Mr Jarral’s wife Tahreen – were also injured in the crash and are currently in hospital.

A 17-year-old boy arrested at the scene in connection with the incident remains in custody, police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Jude Ashmore said: “This incident and the fact that four people have lost their lives is tragic and understandably highly emotive.

“I would however please urge people to think about the comments they post on social media to enable criminal proceedings to go through the courts unhindered and allow those affected to grieve.”

Mr Jarral’s uncle Shafqat Mirza said his nephew was a “humble and polite” man who was extremely proud of his two sons and his stepson.

Mr Mirza said: “It’s been absolutely devastating for all of us and all the family.

“Here we have a young man who was with us, around us, always asking everybody how we are, and now we find that he is no longer with us. It’s something that we can’t come to terms with.

“It was absolutely horrific. So devastating.”

Mr Mirza said his nephew was a “loving father” and was “full of life”.

He was speaking as relatives and members of the community gathered at the family’s mosque.

He said his nephew, who was born in Pakistan and came to Britain as a business student, left another son, aged three, and a six-year-old stepson.

He said factory worker Mr Jarral was always updating Facebook when his son Usman would say a word or start to walk.

“He was always posting about how proud he is,” he said. “He was an absolutely devoted father. I’m a father myself but I think he was two steps ahead of me.”

Mrs Jarral was originally from Slovakia and had converted to Islam and changed her name from Erica Kroscenova.

It is understood Mr Duna, Mrs Dunova, their daughter and granddaughter were friends from Mrs Jarral’s side of the family.

Flowers were left by the side of the road on Sunday morning.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation.