The mystery fifth passenger who escaped a horrific crash that killed three people has been revealed.
27-year-old Joel Lia exited the Volkswagen Tiguan before it went off the road in Cardiff's St Mellons area in the early hours of last Saturday.
South Wales Police confirmed to the Mirror that the sixth person involved - five passengers and the driver - is acting as a witness in the investigation.
READ MORE: Man 'beaten to death' during row in house in Cavan named locally as gardaí question suspect
The crash - which is still being investigated by police - killed childhood friends Eve Smith and Darcy Ross, both 21, as well as Rafel Jeanne, 24.
Other passengers Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, remain fighting for their lives in hospital.
The mangled car lay covered from view for 48 hours before police were able to track it down as worried friends and family joined the desperate search.
The car was on a roundabout after coming off the A48(M) when it crashed at around 2am.
Joel had been with Rafel and Shane at Newport social club The Muffler on Friday evening when they met Eve, Darcy and Sophie.
They later all got into the car and travelled 38 miles to the Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl.
Shane is understood to have a caravan there.
Following an altercation at the site, the group drove back to the Welsh capital where Joel was dropped off near his home.
They then filled up with petrol and were heading back to Newport to take Eve, Darcy and Sophie home when the crash happened.
South Wales Police said detectives were looking to trace the fifth passenger as part of their investigation.
Speaking about Joel, a source told The Sun: "He has been cooperating fully with the officers in the case and is understandably very upset by the events of that night."
As part of a tribute to Rafel on Facebook, a friend shared a video of him and Joel getting out of the white Tiguan last Thursday (March 3) - the day before the crash.
Weeks prior to his death, Rafel is reported to have been released from prison and was re-connecting with friends.
Joel had previously served a “lengthy” jail term for trafficking crack cocaine, reports the South Wales Argus.
A police spokesperson said today: "There is a 6th person who is a witness in the investigation. We do not name witnesses."
Police previously confirmed to the Mirror it was investigating an alleged altercation at the caravan park at the time the group visited, of which the details have not been made clear.
Since then, the constabulary was made aware of a noise complaint made to the park's security lodge about the group.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the actions of South Wales Police and Gwent Police during the search for the group who were not found until just after midnight on Monday, March 6.
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