Man Convicted in Fatal Collision Involving Father and Son

An individual has been convicted of causing fatalities through dangerous driving subsequent to a father and his 11-year-old son being struck and killed by a van as they walked on a Jersey road. Dylan John Pounds, aged 29, also received a conviction for dangerous driving in connection with the collision that occurred on 5 August 2023. Dean Lowe, 48, and his son Charlie lost their lives after being struck by the van while they were walking on La Rue de Fauvic in Grouville. At the Jersey Royal Court trial, Pounds acknowledged responsibility for the deaths of the two individuals due to careless driving and not stopping to report the incident. However, he did not admit to causing their deaths through dangerous driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs. His sentencing is scheduled for 9 December. Detective Chief Inspector Craig Jackson presented a statement on behalf of the family of the father and son. “It’s coming up to 15 months since our whole world fell apart,” the statement conveyed. The statement continued, “As everyone can imagine, it’s been an incredibly traumatic time for all the family and friends of Dean and Charlie.” “We would like to thank the Jersey community for all the love and support.” The statement concluded, “We won’t ever forget it, like we won’t ever forget our beautiful boys.” Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit recounted that the Lowe family had attended a birthday party at the Pembroke Pub on the day of the collision, characterizing it as “the last occasion they would ever have together as a family”. He informed the court that the deaths of the father and son were “untimely, unfortunate and completely preventable”. The two individuals were on their way home when Pounds collided with them, just two minutes after he had begun his journey. The prosecution asserted to the court that Charlie and his father were “perfectly entitled to be and to feel safe on the road,” but that on the night in question, Pounds had “posed a serious danger to himself and other road users,” adding that his “denial of the dangerous driving charge is, quite frankly, ridiculous.” Throughout the five-day trial, evidence presented to the court indicated that Pounds had consumed alcohol at multiple pubs in Jersey before returning to his van and departing from the Pembroke Pub’s car park. Inquiries indicated that he was driving at 44mph (70kph), exceeding the speed limit by 14mph (22kph), and was engaged in a phone call while operating the vehicle moments prior to the event. A forensic collision investigator from the States of Jersey Police reported an absence of braking marks at the collision site, and a witness conveyed surprise at the extent of the damage sustained by the van involved. An inspector who examined the van after the collision stated that the magnitude of the damage was “quite shocking” to him. Amanda Fairnie and her husband Andrew discovered the bodies of the father and son, and tearfully testified at the trial that they had attempted to provide medical assistance, but the two individuals were unresponsive when she located them. Pounds opted not to provide testimony during the trial, and no witnesses were presented for the defence.