Crash kills ‘a top lad’ just yards from home

By Aimee Le Cocq

Police accident investigators and a mechanic pick up Ben Davies’s motorcycle after the fatal crash at Route de Plaisance, St Peter’s. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0619526)

FLOWERS now lie in tribute at the roadside where biker Ben Davies died on Friday evening.
The 25-year-old motorcyclist was killed in an accident in which his Honda collided with a silver Mini Cooper at Route de Plaisance, St Peter’s.
The former La Houguette and Elizabeth College pupil lost his life only 200 metres from his home.
Over the weekend bouquets were placed at the scene of the tragedy bearing messages from friends and loved ones.
Strangers expressing their sorrow also paid their respect through messages.
Witnesses and the emergency services tried to resuscitate Mr Davies at the scene but he was pronounced dead at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital shortly afterwards.
‘He was a top lad,’ said Chris McLean, who employed Mr Davies at Venture Garage.
‘He was a really nice chap. It’s a tragedy, really. He was polite, friendly and likeable.’
Mr McLean said that the two of them ran the garage together. He heard the news from a friend on Friday evening, but it was not confirmed that Mr Davies had died until the following morning.
‘He loved his motorbikes and his music,’ said Mr McLean.
‘Those were his main interests.
‘He was a very sociable person and his phone was always going. Nobody had a bad word to say about him. It’s an absolute tragedy. I’m in shock.’
Mr Davies’s parents, who live in the UK, travelled to the island at the weekend.
Margaret Le Noury heard the crash from her home but did not realise until Sunday that Mr Davies had been involved.
She regularly uses Venture Garage and knew him from there.
‘He was considerate and conscientious,’ she said.
‘He was a lovely young man.
‘It’s a real tragedy. He was much too young.
‘Over the years there have been accidents here but nothing this serious.’
Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision or anyone who saw the vehicles being driven prior to it.
A police spokesman said: ‘We would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of the deceased.’
Mr Davies was travelling towards St Peter’s village from the direction of the airport and the car was going in the opposite direction.