Four university students tragically lost their lives early Saturday morning after their car crashed violently off Magdalen Street, Colchester. The victims—Makyle Bayley, 22, Eva Darold-Tchikaya, 21, Anthony Hibbert, 24, and Daljang Wol, 22—were all students at the University of Essex. Witnesses report the vehicle was traveling at high speed before mounting the curb and colliding with the building.
The horrific crash took place shortly before 4:40 AM when the vehicle reportedly veered onto the wrong side of the road, hitting brick steps before barreling directly onto the pavement. The car became embedded within the corner of the building, which housed both a secondhand shop and a Thai massage parlor. The scene was so chaotic and violent, local police mentioned they couldn't initially even determine the make of the vehicle involved. Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper expressed condolences for the grieving families, acknowledging the difficulty of such loss.
Hooper stated, "I want to extend my condolences to the friends and family of Makyle, Eva, Anthony, and Daljang. This will be an incredibly difficult time for them and we have specialist officers supporting them." He added the investigation, led by the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, would examine the events leading up to the crash, though initial reports suggest no other vehicles were implicated.
The impact of the crash was described by eyewitnesses, with debris reportedly scattered as far as 50 yards down the street. One local builder, Mike Davies, recounted, "Police told me the car was so badly damaged inside the building, they couldn't even tell what make or model it was. They had to construct a temporary wooden platform to be able to take it out." The emergency response included numerous ambulances, fire engines, and police vehicles as bystanders rushed to assist.
The local community is reeling from this tragedy. Residents confirmed they heard the collision from blocks away and various local businesses were affected. "The building is completely wrecked," noted Brian Amey, the owner of the secondhand shop, adding, "We have lost our livelihood—but that's insignificant when you think of four lives being lost."
University of Essex's acting Vice-Chancellor, Maria Fasli, released heartfelt statements reflecting on the lives of the four students. "They played an active role in our community through clubs and societies, and had young lives filled with hope, promise, talent, and dreams for the future," she noted. Fasli detailed each student’s involvement with university clubs, especially noting the athletic contributions of Anthony and Daljang to the Essex Rebels men’s basketball team. She added, "Their loss will be felt by their families and closest friends and by our university community."
Details are forthcoming from the university on memorial services to honor the students and allow the university community to process this tragic loss together. "It is impossible to fathom the grief experienced by their families and friends. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew them during this terrible time," added Fasli.
Police continue to investigate the crash, and they are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has any relevant information or footage to come forward. An official statement from Essex Police requested any available CCTV or dashcam footage from the area at the time of the crash, asking the community to assist with information, referring to incident number 179 from February 1.
This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the deep connections forged among students within university communities. The hearts of many now extend to the families grieving these young lives, taken so abruptly.