This is the shocking moment a young woman used her personalised vehicle to mow down a teenager while he was playing rugby with friends in a train station car park. Lexi Dyas, aged 19, has been jailed after a judge viewed video evidence of her colliding with Declan Maloney at what was described as 'excessive speed' in her customised Fiat 500.
Distracted Driving Leads to Catastrophic Collision
The footage captures Mr Maloney, also 19, throwing a ball with companions moments before Dyas's accelerating car strikes him, propelling him violently into the air. His two friends immediately rushed to his aid as Dyas pulled over and exited her vehicle. Cardiff Crown Court heard testimony that Mr Maloney attempted to evade the oncoming car, but Dyas deliberately swerved her Fiat, which bore the distinctive registration plate 'LX06MAE'.
Severe Injuries and Hospitalisation
Following the impact in Mountain Ash, South Wales, during July 2024, Mr Maloney was transported to hospital with multiple fractures affecting his arm, leg, and finger. Dyas, who wept openly in court, asserted in her police interview that the incident was an 'accident,' attributing it to distraction while conversing with a friend behind the wheel.
Prosecutor Andrew Davies stated: 'She indicated it was an accident which occurred because of her not concentrating. She said she didn't have a grudge against Declan Maloney at all. She claimed she thought Declan had run the opposite way to her car and the next thing she knew she hit him.'
Lack of Explanation and Legal Proceedings
The court learned that Dyas, who was 18 at the time of the event, could provide no justification for why she swerved the car. Defence barrister Emma Harris commented: 'It's her position she lost concentration chatting to a friend in the car.' Miss Harris added that Dyas, who harboured ambitions of becoming a nurse, 'feels terrible' for the injuries inflicted.
Dyas entered a guilty plea to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. In a victim impact statement, Mr Maloney expressed that he faces daily struggles and noted Dyas had shown him 'no remorse.' He revealed: 'It has had a big impact on every aspect of my life. I'm nervous to leave the house.'
Sentencing and Judicial Remarks
Judge Recorder Christian Jowett imposed an 18-month prison sentence on Dyas and disqualified her from driving for two years and nine months. He declared: 'You used excessive speed when you drove deliberately and directly at Mr Maloney.' This case underscores the grave consequences of distracted driving and the judicial system's firm stance on such dangerous behaviour.
