A 19-year-old man has died and a woman has been left in critical condition following a multi-vehicle collision near Stratford-upon-Avon. The incident occurred on Monday evening after a police pursuit that began when officers attempted to stop a black Audi on Birmingham Road shortly before 17:30 BST.
According to Warwickshire Police, the driver of the Audi failed to stop, initiating a pursuit that lasted approximately six minutes. The vehicle eventually collided with a white Ford Puma on the A439 Warwick Road. The 19-year-old driver of the Audi was confirmed dead at the scene by paramedics. The driver of the Ford, a woman in her 70s, sustained life-threatening injuries and remains in hospital in critical condition. A female passenger in the same vehicle also suffered serious injuries, though they are not believed to be life-threatening. A fourth person involved in the collision sustained injuries that were not considered serious.
The A439 Warwick Road was closed from the Marraway roundabout to the junctions with Ingon Lane and Sand Barn Lane to allow emergency services to operate. The road remained shut into Tuesday morning. Local authorities had previously implemented safety measures on this stretch of road two years ago, including a one-way system, reduced speed limits, and improved street lighting.
Official Response and Investigation
- Mandatory Referral: Warwickshire Police confirmed a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to the fatality occurring following police contact.
- Independent Probe: The IOPC has launched an independent investigation, with officials attending the post-incident operation to gather evidence.
- Police Cooperation: Supt Steve Flavell stated that the force is cooperating fully with the investigation and expressed condolences to the families involved.
- Public Appeal: Investigators are seeking dashcam footage from the public and can be reached at 0300 303 5609 or via email at WarwickRoadPursuit@policeconduct.gov.uk.
- Official Statement: The IOPC confirmed they have met with the families of the deceased and the injured woman to provide updates on the early stages of their inquiry.
Manuela Perteghella, the Liberal Democrat MP for Stratford-on-Avon, described the event as “incredibly tragic” and extended her thoughts to all those impacted by the incident. She added that the focus must now remain on allowing the formal investigation to proceed. The report also notes that the force added, with the Audi’s 19-year-old male driver confirmed dead at the scene by paramedics, a pursuit began and 15 minutes later the Audi crashed into a white Ford Puma. The report also notes that police said, a number of other cars were damaged during the pursuit. The report also notes that a spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said paramedics found four patients in total at the scene. The report also notes that they included a man who was in a critical condition to whom crews gave advanced life support. The report also notes that it became clear that nothing more could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased by ambulance staff at the scene,” the spokesperson said, despite their best efforts. The report also notes that we are also appealing for any car footage of the pursuit that other motorists may have recorded. The report also notes that which is at an early stage, we have met with the families of the driver and the seriously injured woman to explain our role and will keep them regularly updated throughout our investigation.
