Husband's heartbreaking tribute to his mother-of-four wife who was killed in crash as daughter remains in hospital while van driver, 19, is arrested by cops
Five people were taken to hospital after a collision between a car and a van on the A4119 bypass at Williamstown, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda, south Wales.
By AIDAN RADNEDGE, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
Published: 14:28 GMT, 2 January 2026 | Updated: 14:28 GMT, 2 January 2026
A grieving husband has paid tribute to his mother-of-four wife killed in a road crash - as a 19-year-old van driver was arrested.
Five people were taken to hospital after a collision between a car and a van on the A4119 bypass at Williamstown, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda, south Wales, on Monday morning this week.
The driver of the car, 48-year-old Donna Ball, suffered life-threatening injuries before dying in hospital the following day.
Her young daughter has also been hospitalised.
Now Mrs Ball's husband has told of how the family were left 'devastated by the sudden, tragic and needless death of our beloved Donna'.
A 19-year-old from Newport has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, as well as two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
He has been bailed for further enquiries until March 30.
Paying tribute to Donna, her husband said: 'We, as a family, are devastated by the sudden, tragic, and needless death of our beloved Donna.
Donna Ball, 48, suffered life-threatening injuries before dying in hospital on Tuesday
Five people were taken to hospital after a collision between a car and a van on the A4119 bypass at Williamstown, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda, south Wales, on December 29 2025
Mrs Ball's husband has told of how the family were left 'devastated by the sudden, tragic and needless death of our beloved Donna'
Donna Ball (pictured), 48, died following the collision near Tonypandy on Monday morning
'We would like to take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to all the emergency services who attended, including the air ambulance, Accident and Emergency, and the critical care teams at the University Hospital of Wales.
'Ongoing, I cannot express my thanks enough to the staff and doctors of Owl Ward and Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales for their care of our daughter.
'Donna's passing has left a huge void that can never be filled. Our old lives have ended - our lives without her begin now.'
In the statement issued via South Wales Police, he described feeling 'overwhelmed by the messages of love and condolence we have received'.
He added: 'We take great solace in the high regard in which she was held by so many. Rest easy, my love, until I see you again.'
South Wales Police is continuing to appeal for witnesses to the collision or anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.