Independent police watchdog launches probe into Cramlington collision after police chase

The independent police watchdog is to make a decision on whether to investigate a serious collision which has left eight people in hospital after a police chase.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed that it has received a referral from Northumbria Police^[1] to investigate the collision between a van and a car on the A1068 Fisher Lane in Cramlington^[2] on Friday morning. The van had been involved in a police pursuit prior to the incident.

It is alleged that the van was reported stolen from Newburn shortly after 8.40am and was later spotted travelling towards Cramlington, but failed to stop when instructed by officers. At 9.25am emergency services were alerted to the collision and the road remains closed at this time.

A huge emergency service response was actioned, with Northumbria Police, Northumberland^[4] Fire and Rescue Service, North East Ambulance Service^[5] (NEAS) and the North East Air Ambulance Service all in attendance.

Six ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, a specialist paramedic, three crews from its Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), and the Great North Air Ambulance Service^[6] (GNAAS) attended the scene following the collision and eight people were taken to hospital.

Four patients were taken by road to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH), and three patients were taken by road and one by air to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) for further treatment.

The IOPC confirmed that it had received a referral to investigate the collision but was unable to provide any further details at this time. Police forces must refer serious incidents to IOPC if police action results in a member of the public being seriously injured or dying in a road accident involving the police.

An IOPC spokesperson said: "We have been notified of a road traffic incident involving Northumbria Police this morning. Investigators were sent to attend the scene and the police post incident procedures.

"We are assessing the available information and will make a decision on the level of our involvement in due course."

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 8.40am today (Friday) police received a report that a van had been stolen from outside of an address in Newburn. A short time later, the vehicle was sighted travelling towards Cramlington and the occupant failed to stop when instructed by police.

"Following a short pursuit, the van was in a collision with a car on the A1068 Fisher Lane northbound, near to the Snowy Owl pub. Emergency services are in attendance at the scene and the road is currently closed in both directions between the A1 at Seaton Burn and A1172 Station Road.

"As is standard practice in such incidents, the collision has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Enquiries into the collision are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on our website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230908-0225."

A NEAS spokesperson said: "We received a call at 9.25am this morning (Friday 8 September) to reports of a road traffic incident on the A1068 junction with Fisher Lane in Cramlington.

"We dispatched six ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, a specialist paramedic, three crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), and requested the support of our colleagues at the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) who attended by air and road.

"Four patients were taken by road to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH), and three patients were taken by road and one by air to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) for further treatment."

References

1. ^{^} Northumbria Police (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Cramlington (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Everything we know as 'stolen' van involved in police pursuit crashes in Cramlington leaving eight injured (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Northumberland (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
5. ^{^} North East Ambulance Service (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Great North Air Ambulance Service (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)