The sole survivor of a crash that killed two teenagers in a Kent ditch has described the final moments, including the boyfriend repeatedly saying 'I'm so sorry' as they slowly drowned.
Adam Dudzinski, 17, and his girlfriend Chloe-Ann Naylor, 16, died after their Ford Fiesta flipped into an icy drainage ditch off a country road near Iwade, Sittingbourne, at around 8.30pm on 3 January – the coldest day of the year. Trapped upside down and hidden from view, it took three hours for the couple to drown in the shallow water.
Survivor's Account
A 16-year-old girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, survived after her father traced her location using a phone app. She described preparing herself to drown before Chloe tapped her leg, giving her the courage to release her seatbelt. While trapped, Adam repeatedly said: 'I am sorry, I am so sorry.' The survivor shouted Chloe's name before she 'went quiet'.
Chloe had been trying to keep Adam's head above water, the survivor recalled.
Inquest Details
Kent and Medway Coroner Ian Potter heard that Adam, a supermarket worker who did not hold a driving licence and was uninsured, lost control of the Ford Fiesta on a sharp bend on the dark rural road. The surviving passenger said Adam had been driving quickly but was not speeding. He attempted to slow down but failed to brake in time for the bend before the car left the road.
Collision investigators found no evidence Adam had been exceeding the speed limit but concluded he had likely been travelling too fast for the road conditions.
Rescue and Aftermath
The survivor's father became concerned when his daughter's location stopped updating on the Life360 app. He travelled to the last recorded location shortly before midnight and discovered the overturned vehicle partially submerged in the ditch. Emergency services, including police, firefighters, paramedics and HM Coastguard, rushed to the scene. Despite their efforts, Adam and Chloe were pronounced dead after drowning. The surviving teenager was rescued and later discharged from hospital.
The court also heard police sought to prosecute Adam's legal guardian for allegedly permitting him to drive while uninsured and without a licence, but the Crown Prosecution Service determined there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.
Coroner's Verdict
Recording verdicts of accidental death, Coroner Ian Potter expressed his condolences to the three families. He said: 'This is a very tragic state of circumstances and I cannot begin to imagine what the three families have been through.'
Floral tributes were left at the scene in Old Ferry Road, while more than £15,000 was raised through fundraising campaigns to support the families of Adam and Chloe.
