Crash death officers are cleared

The Mitsubishi flipped over the central reservation and hit the Peugeot

Police drivers involved in the pursuit of a stolen vehicle which crashed, killing another driver, acted correctly, investigators have said.

Officers were trying to bring a stolen Mitsubishi to a "controlled halt" on the north-bound A1(M) in County Durham, when it hit the central reservation.

The car flipped into the path of an oncoming Peugeot, killing its driver.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it was confident Durham force drivers acted properly.

The male driver of the Mitsubishi vehicle, a 23-year-old from Chester-le-Street, suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Police located the Mitsubishi, which had earlier been stolen from Chester-le-Street, after it was spotted on the Aycliffe Industrial Estate in Newton Aycliffe.

It was followed on the A167 by up to four patrol cars, then onto the northbound A1(M).

The pursuit was also being monitored by a police helicopter when the crash happened near the Bowburn Interchange at 0540 BST on Friday.

It left the Peugeot driver, who has not yet been named, with serious injuries and he died at the scene.

Advertisement

Police inspect the crash scene on the A1(M)

A Durham Police spokesman said: "The pursuit of the Mitsubishi took place on the northbound carriageways and involved up to four marked patrol cars. All were using sirens and blue lights.

"Authority was given to bring the Mitsubishi to a controlled stop, which is an approved police tactic and used nationwide.

"The driver made efforts to avoid the containment and evaded police.

The crash has caused major traffic disruption

"Just past the Bowburn interchange the Mitsubishi hit the central reservation, careered onto the southbound carriageways and hit an oncoming Peugeot car. The driver of the Peugeot died at the scene."

An IPCC spokesman said: "Investigators have completed a thorough and independent assessment of all the available information.

"On the basis of the information we have seen the IPCC is confident that the officers involved observed all necessary policies and procedures during the pursuit and the attempted stop of the stolen vehicle.

"As a result, the IPCC is content for Durham Constabulary to complete the investigation into the matter."