Three people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a crash that killed two teenagers in Newport, with detectives treating the incident as a suspected hit-and-run.
Gwent Police confirmed that an 18‑year‑old man and a 40‑year‑old woman are being held on suspicion of murder, while a 24‑year‑old woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. All three remain in police custody as inquiries continue.
The arrests follow the deaths of Jaydon Bowyer, 19, and Ta‑Shay Canoville, 16, who were both riding a motorbike when they were struck by a BMW on Aberthaw Road in the Alway area of Newport shortly before 1.40am on Thursday 7 May. Officers believe the occupants of the BMW fled the scene after the collision, leaving the two teenagers for dead. Paramedics pronounced them dead at the scene.
Forensic officers have been seen collecting evidence at the cordoned‑off stretch of Aberthaw Road, and local bus services in Alway were disrupted as a result of the police operation. The Alway community centre was also closed to the public on Thursday and Friday.
The two teenagers, described by friends as “best of mates”, were from the Alway and Ringland suburbs of Newport. Tributes have poured in from family, friends and the wider community. Jaydon’s mother, Sophie Pederson, said she was “struggling to process the loss of you, my first‑born, my whole world, my absolute everything”. She added: “My boy, my darling darling boy. Why just why? How do I live without you here by my side?”
Jaydon’s girlfriend, hairdresser Rachael Stephenson, said she “never imagined I would see this day having to live in a world without you in it”. She described him as her “happiness” and the person who made her “darkest days feel light again”, adding that they had talked for hours about building a family together.
Ta‑Shay’s family are also being supported by specially trained officers. His father’s Sunday league team, Odsal Rangers, held a minute’s silence and wore black armbands in his memory. Floral tributes have been laid at the scene carrying messages such as “fly high boys” and “rest easy”, and a balloon release was held near the crash site over the weekend.
One friend said: “Everyone knew them and our hearts are broken into pieces.”
Police investigation and appeal
Detectives are treating the fatal collision as a murder investigation. The three people arrested – an 18‑year‑old man, a 40‑year‑old woman and a 24‑year‑old woman – were taken into custody on suspicion of murder and assisting an offender respectively, and are still being questioned.
Gwent Police have made a fresh appeal for witnesses and anybody with information to come forward, specifically requesting any CCTV or dashcam footage captured along Aberthaw Road and the surrounding streets between midnight and 1.40am on Thursday 7 May. Residents are also being asked to check their own security cameras.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the force quoting log reference 2600141467.
Community support and fundraising
A GoFundMe page organised by Antonio Borg has been set up to help the families of both teenagers cover funeral costs. The page has already raised more than £12,000 towards its £16,000 target, with donations to be shared equally between the two families.
The incident has drawn comparisons to other recent tragedies in South Wales. In July 2022, a 17‑year‑old girl died in a crash in Fochriw, Caerphilly, and a 21‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. In May 2023, two teenagers, Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died in a crash in Ely, Cardiff, while riding an electric bike, an event that sparked widespread rioting.
