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Father 'couldn't comprehend' fatal crash ID error
Police said a mix-up over personal items wrongly told one family their son had survived, before dental records corrected the record.
On Monday, separate inquests in Doncaster concluded that 18-year-old Joshua Johnson was unlawfully killed and 17-year-old driver Summer Louise Scott died following a December 13 crash near Rotherham.
Provisional driver Scott lost control of her Toyota Corolla on Todwick Road while traveling at 95 mph, causing the vehicle to strike a tree after becoming airborne.
South Yorkshire Police mistakenly identified front-seat passenger Trevor Wynn as the deceased, leaving Johnson's parents spending weeks at the hospital believing they were sitting with their son, who was actually dead.
Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane apologized Monday for the 'unimaginable consequences' caused by the misidentification, as the force reviewed processes and implemented new guidance from the College of Policing.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation remains at an 'advanced stage,' with officials expecting the review to conclude in the coming weeks.