Family pay tribute to 18-year-old man who died after crash in Headley
Rahulan Chelliah's family say he "never ran out of love to give"
The family of an 18-year-old man who died following a crash in Headley, Surrey, have paid tribute to him.
Rahulan Chelliah died after the crash in Church Lane in the early hours of Sunday 6th September.
This week his family described him as "the world's best friend" who "never ran out of love to give".
'He never had to try hard to bring a smile to people's faces'
In a statement, Rahulan's family said: "We are heartbroken to announce the sudden passing of our beloved son, brother and friend, Rahulan Chelliah.
"From a young age, Rahulan never had to try hard to bring a smile to people's faces. Beyond being a cheeky child who loved to make everyone laugh, Rahulan was a caring and protective brother, not only to his younger sister but also to his friends. He could always spot if someone was upset and never failed to cheer them up.
"Growing up, Rahulan was a passionate cricket all-rounder. This passion extended beyond the pitch: Rahulan was no stranger to the value of hard-work and sacrifice. He was committed to helping with the family business as well as those closest to him.
"Rahulan became a fine and principled gentleman, who valued honesty, humility and patience. With the world at his feet and his dream university on the doorstep, Rahulan was a confident and charismatic young man; people would naturally gravitate towards him."
'A deep loss to the wider community'
The family added: "Despite his recent passing, however, we could not be more touched to see so many of us gather in mourning and celebration of Rahulan's life. It is clear that this has not only broken the hearts of his family and friends but is a deep loss to the wider community.
"During this difficult period, Rahulan has united us all together by our love for him. He cared about the people in his life and always knew how to support them, bringing out the best in them.
"As he passes above us, Rahulan knows the legacy he has built; his life will always be cherished and honoured. Rahulan never ran out of love to give, teaching us that what makes life is the people that are in it.
"Although our dearest Rahulan was taken from us too soon, we could not be more grateful that he experienced the joys of life to the fullest. Love for our Rahulan will always endure. The world's best friend will be sorely missed."
What happened
Surrey Police said a white Fiat Punto left the road and hit a tree in Church Lane, between Headley Common Road and Hurst Lane, shortly before 3:30am.
The four passengers in the car, all aged 18 and made up of two women and two men, were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
One of the rear-seat passengers died a few hours later.
The driver, an 18-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drink or drugs, driving while over the specified limit for a drug, driving while over the prescribed limit for alcohol, and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
He was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Appeal for information
Surrey Police want to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash, or who saw the car in the area beforehand.
Officers are also looking for any CCTV, dashcam, helmet-cam or doorbell footage that may have captured what happened.
Anyone with information can contact Surrey Police through the live chat and online reporting tools on the force's website, by emailing [email protected] , or by calling 101.