A man has died and a woman in her 70s has sustained critical injuries after two cars collided following a six-minute police pursuit.
Officers were chasing a black Audi near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire yesterday evening before it crashed into a white Ford Puma.
The driver of the Audi failed to stop for police officers on Birmingham Road shortly before 5.25pm.
They fled the scene before travelling back towards Stratford on the A439, Warwickshire Police said.
The car then collided with the white Ford at around 5.44pm, following a six-minute chase by officers.
Two ambulances, three paramedic officers and two air ambulances were sent to the site of the crash.
The male Audi driver was pronounced dead, while the female driver of the Ford was rushed to hospital with critical injuries.
Both families have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
Officers were chasing a black Audi near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire yesterday evening before it collided with a white Ford Puma
An air ambulance is seen near the scene of the crash on the A439 in Warwickshire on Monday
A second woman, who was a passenger in the Ford, also sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries. She and a fourth person, who received minor injuries, were taken to hospital.
Multiple other vehicles were also damaged during the pursuit.
Road closures remain in place today, with the A439 shut from the Marraway roundabout to the junction with Ingon Lane and at Sandbanks Lane.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation.
Liberal Democrat MP for Stratford-upon-Avon Manuela Perteghella said incident marked ‘incredibly tragic news’, adding: ‘My thoughts are with the families of all those impacted. We must now let the investigation take its course.’
It comes days after a crash on the A66 in Teesside following a separate pursuit which killed two police officers and all five occupents of the target vehicle.
Unlike in that case, there is no suggestion at this stage the driver of the Audi drove on the wrong side of the road for any extended period of time.
Superintendent Steve Flavell said: ‘Our thoughts are with the families of everyone involved in this collision and we’re providing specialist support to them at this extremely difficult time.
‘We made a mandatory referral to the IOPC because a death had occurred following police contact. They have declared an independent investigation and we will co-operate fully with their investigation.’
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘Upon arrival we found four patients. Firstly a man who was the driver of the first car who was in a critical condition. He received advanced life support and advanced trauma care at the scene.
‘Despite their best efforts, it became clear that nothing more could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased by ambulance staff at the scene.
‘Secondly, a woman who was the driver of the second car was assessed and had sustained life-threatening injuries. She received advanced trauma care from ambulance staff at the scene before being conveyed to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire by air ambulance for further treatment.
‘The second woman who was a passenger in the second car had sustained potentially serious injuries which were not believed to be life threatening. She received treatment at the scene before being conveyed to Warwickshire Hospital by land.’
‘A fourth patient had sustained injuries not believed to be serious and was conveyed to Warwick Hospital for further assessment.’
A spokesman for the IOPC said their investigation into the involvement of Warwickshire Police prior to the fatal collision was at an early stage.
They said: ‘We were notified by the force at 7.40pm and IOPC investigators attended the police post-incident procedure to begin gathering information. We declared an independent investigation at 9.38pm.
‘We understand that the driver of a black Audi A3 failed to stop for police and was then pursued for around six minutes before the vehicle was involved in a collision with a car being driven by a member of the public.
‘The male driver of the Audi sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
‘The driver of the other car, a woman in her 70s, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
‘Our investigation is at an early stage.’
