Inquiry into 999 fatal accident

An investigation into the death of a pedestrian hit by a marked police car answering an emergency call in Surrey will be conducted by local police.

The Ford Mondeo was heading to a report of a burglary when the 75-year-old man from Islington, north London, was hit on the A244 Esher Road, in Hersham.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said Thames Valley Police can carry out the investigation.

It will be overseen by a Thames Valley senior investigating officer.

A Surrey Police spokesman said the force was treating the accident as a "critical incident".

Deputy Chief Constable Lynne Owens said it was too early to speculate on the cause.

"This is a tragic situation and my colleagues and I are keenly aware of the shock and impact for the deceased man's family," she said.

The bonnet lid of the car had been thrown back and was covering the windscreen Councillor John Sheldon, resident

"We are thinking about them at this time and ready to ensure they are fully supported by family liaison officers.

"Assistance is also being offered to the driver of the car, who is understandably distressed for this to have happened while they were carrying out their duty as a police officer."

She added there would be a "thorough, fair and impartial investigation" into the circumstances.

The identity of the man, who died at the scene after the accident at 1855 GMT on Tuesday, has not yet been released, but his next-of-kin have been informed.

The single-crewed car, being driven by a response-trained officer from the North Surrey Targeted Patrol Team, was responding to a 999 call from a distressed woman reporting a suspected burglary.

'Blue lights flashing'

Police had been told an intruder had entered a rear garden in the Claygate area of Esher.

The road was cordoned off between the roundabouts at West End Lane and Molesey Road for about eight hours while collision investigators examined the scene.

Local councillor, John Sheldon, 76, who lives opposite the crash site, said he and his wife saw the police car was "badly damaged with its off-side front lights broken".

"The blue lights were still flashing. The bonnet lid of the car had been thrown back and was covering the windscreen," he said.

Mr Sheldon described the 40mph limit road as "a blight on the neighbourhood" and said there had been numerous previous crashes.

He said: "Perhaps this will be the accident that forces people to make changes here."