A13 crash victim named as 'vibrant' 18-year-old

Ellie Jo Evers, from Benfleet was the passenger of a car which died in a crash around half two last Sunday

Author: Cameron GreenPublished 7th Jul 2023

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a much-loved and vibrant teenager following a fatal collision on the A13.

Police were called to the Pitsea flyover shortly before 2:30pm on Saturday, 1 July following reports of a serious collision involving one vehicle.

A passenger of the car, a 18-year-old woman, sadly died at the scene.

Police have now formally identified her as Ellie Jo Evers, from Benfleet.

In a statement, her family said: “Ellie Jo is a much-loved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and cousin.

“She was a fun-loving, vibrant teenager with many friends who has been taken from us all too soon.

“Her tragic passing has left all of us heartbroken.

“We would like to express our thanks for the kind words and support we continue to receive.”

Three occupants of the car remain in hospital, one remains in a critical condition.

The others have suffered serious injuries.

Detective Sergeant Sam Nason from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit is continuing to call for witnesses to come forward.

He said: “Our enquiries into this tragic collision continue at pace.

“We would continue to urge anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or those with CCTV or dashcam footage to get in touch.

“Our thoughts remain with the family of Ellie Jo, who now need time and space to grieve and attempt to come to terms with their loss.

“We continue to offer support to them throughout this process.”

"If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us".

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.