Police probed over crash response

An investigation has started into South Yorkshire Police's response to a crash which left a man seriously injured.

A red Honda Civic left the A629 Upper Wortley Road in Rotherham and ended up on its roof in woodland on Monday.

The accident was reported to police at 0945 GMT but an officer who went to the scene could not find the vehicle.

Five hours later, after a second 999 call, the 20-year-old driver was found unconscious and taken to hospital with injuries to his spine, head and pelvis.

Misconduct investigation

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has appealed for a woman who made the initial report to come forward.

She reported the accident to a police officer who was on patrol in Rotherham town centre. The officer passed the report to the police control room via his radio and a community support officer went to the scene but did not find the car.

Nicholas Long, IPCC Commissioner for Yorkshire, said: "The investigation will focus on the way the initial report of an overturned car was handled and the length of time taken by police to find the vehicle.

"We will decide whether there are any misconduct issues or whether there is anything to learn from this incident, either for individuals or South Yorkshire Police as a whole.

"At this stage a man is seriously ill in hospital and my thoughts are with him and his family.

"It is essential that we speak to the woman who made the initial report of the overturned car."