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10 Jul, 2025
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Former head boy died after being hit by car as he walked on unlit road in the dark
@Source: walesonline.co.uk
A much-loved young rugby player tragically died after he was struck by a car while walking on an unlit road with no street lighting. An inquest was held on Thursday at Pontypridd coroner's court into the death of Ceirion Galliers, from Abercanaid in Merthyr Tydfil, who died at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff in July 2023 – just 11 days after he turned 18. The inquest heard how he died from injuries he sustained during a crash days earlier when he was hit by a vehicle on the A4060 northbound in Merthyr Tydfil. Mr Galliers, who had been head boy at Afon Taf High School , had been on his first boys' holiday to Magaluf with his friends, and upon returning home on July 22 went out to Pentrebach Labour Club with his family, where they enjoyed drinks together and played pool from around 2.30pm until 10pm. The young man decided he wanted to go to his girlfriend Joanna Foley's house, and called her asking her to pick him up. She set off to get him, but instead of waiting at a pre-arranged spot, he decided to start walking along the A4060, a road which had no street lighting. The teenager's mum Lowri Galliers said the family's lives had "changed completely" since the accident. In a statement she explained how that evening she decided to follow her son due to concern for his safety, but that he had walked a significant distance ahead, to the point he was too far in the distance to see. The inquest heard how a passing motorist had asked Mrs Galliers whether Ceirion was "anything to do with you, because he is falling all over the place." The inquest heard evidence from multiple drivers who said Ceirion intermittently entered the carriageway, walking into pathway of moving vehicles, raising his hands aloft in a "starfish motion", forcing many drivers to swerve. One witness, Paula Mahoney, was travelling along the road as a passenger in her partner's car that evening, from her home in Dowlais to pick up her niece in Aberfan. She described the road as "very dark with no street lighting", explaining how she saw Ceirion wearing a light-coloured t-shirt and shorts walking in the middle of the road with his arms raised above his head. Her partner swerved into the right lane and came to a complete stop, but Ceirion continued to walk down the middle of the road, and did not say anything. Tragically, the inquest heard how another driver was unable to stop in time, having tried to swerve to the right, but "clipped him" with the front of her car. The collision resulted in Ceirion sustaining devastating brain injuries, and he was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for treatment. He passed away two days later on July 24. The inquest heard how Ceirion had experienced periods of low moods and anxiety, and had received support from mental health services, but on the night, had been described as being "bubbly and jovial." An examination of his mobile phone by police revealed no intention to harm himself. Miss Foley explained she had spoken to Ceirion on the phone to discuss picking him up, and told him to "stay where he was", but he informed her that he intended to start walking in the meantime. Coroner Graeme Hughes explained how the central issue to the inquest was whether Ceirion deliberately placed himself in front of vehicle or whether it was an accident. He said that on the basis of evidence, Ceirion had likely been intoxicated, having consumed between seven to nine pints of cider or lager, and that was compounded by fatigue after just returning home from Spain. Mr Hughes said that on "at least four witnessed occasions" Ceirion had "deliberately and alone placed himself in the pathway of moving vehicles." He added that a driver had "insufficient time to avoid colliding" with Ceirion. He said the medical cause of death was severe traumatic brain injury, and returned a conclusion of misadventure. After Ceirion's passing, his dad, Terry Galliers, paid a touching tribute to his son, who was a talented rugby player, having played for Merthyr RFC. Mr Galliers had told WalesOnline: “When people say someone is one in a million Cei really was. Everybody loved him. People would come up to me and say they had never met anyone like him. As long as everybody else was okay Cei was okay."
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