A man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of Westbury teenager Bethany Ovenden-Gumm by dangerous driving.

Jamielee Hitt, 21, of Greenham View, Bradford on Avon, appeared in Salisbury Crown Court before Judge Paul Dugdale on Friday (January 13).

As well as the causing death by dangerous driving charge, Hitt also pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, causing death while unlicensed and whilst uninsured.

Hitt was driving a Ford Fiesta at approximately 11.40pm on February 5, 2021 in The Mead, Westbury, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a wall and a tree.

The vehicle was travelling along The Mead towards the roundabout junction on the A350, near Lidl, when the accident happened.

It hit a kerb and is understood to have bounced off that before smashing into the wall and tree.

Bethany, a childcare student at Wiltshire College, was one of three passengers in the vehicle at the time, sitting in the front seat, and was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Two other passengers, in the back seats, were taken to hospital with serious injuries, along with the driver.

After a lengthy investigation that saw the arrests of the drivers of two other cars, a 19-year-old male and a 19-year-old female, Mr Hitt, the driver of the Ford Fiesta was charged with causing death with dangerous driving, as well as a string of other offences in December last year. 

Around that time social media sites in the town were buzzing with rumours and comments on the crash speculating as to the cause of the accident and the behaviour of young drivers in the town.

There were also reports of another driver witnessing the car that was involved in the crash earlier that evening and, concerned about the way it was being driven, he had allegedly flashed his lights at them as a warning, but police declined to comment on this. 

Following the crash, Westbury Mayor, Cllr Mike Sutton revealed the town council had already asked for speed restriction measures along The Mead but were refused.

“We did ask for a pelican crossing but were told it would not happen because of the cost to injury ratio. Maybe now, they will look at it again,” he said.

Bethany's funeral took place on March 9, 2021, where people lined the streets as her funeral cortege passed by. 

Hitt was released on bail with a curfew and will next appear in court on February 7 when he will be sentenced.