Essex Police have provisionally named the four victims of a fatal collision in Colchester that occurred on Saturday, 1 February 2025. The victims, all students at the University of Essex, tragically died at the scene when the car they were in collided with a building on Magdalen Street at approximately 4:40am.
The deceased have been named as 22-year-old Makyle Bayley, 21-year-old Eva Darold-Tchikaya, 24-year-old Anthony Hibbert, and 22-year-old Daljang Wol. All four were students at the University of Essex, and their deaths have left the local community in shock.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the victims, saying, “I want to extend my condolences to the friends and family of Makyle, Eva, Anthony, and Daljang. This will be an incredibly difficult time for them, and we have specialist officers supporting them.”
The Serious Collision Investigation Unit is working diligently to determine the cause of the collision. At this stage, Essex Police have stated that they do not believe any other vehicles were involved in the incident.
Assistant Chief Constable Hooper also thanked the attending emergency services for their efforts to maintain the dignity of those who died and expressed gratitude to the local community for their support and cooperation during this challenging time.
Essex Police are appealing for anyone who may have information about the collision or witnessed the events leading up to the crash. Specifically, officers are asking if anyone saw a black Ford Focus being driven along Magdalen Street or in the surrounding area around the time of the incident.
Anyone with relevant information, including CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage, is urged to contact Essex Police. You can submit a report through the Essex Police website or by using their online Live Chat service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Alternatively, you can call 101 or, for anonymous reports, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Please reference incident 179 of 1 February when providing information.
Essex Police continue to support the victims’ families and are working to provide answers to those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.
