Teen girl died on M5 after fleeing police car

An jury inquest is to be held into the death of Tamzin Ellen Hall, from Wellington, Somerset, who died after she was hit by a car on the M5 as she fled police

14:58, 07 Jan 2026

The family of a girl who was hit and killed on a motorway as she fled police say the driver was "not at fault at all".

Tamzin Ellen Hall, from Wellington, Somerset, sustained fatal injuries when she was struck by a car on the M5 between junction 25 at Taunton, and 24 at Bridgwater, shortly after 11pm on November 11, 2024. The 17-year-old had been under arrest at the time and was travelling in an Avon and Somerset Police car which had stopped on the motorway.

During a pre-inquest review at Taunton Coroner's Court on Tuesday, senior coroner Samantha Marsh said the inquest into Tamzin's death would be heard by a jury.

She set a provisional date for the inquest on January 11, 2027 at Wells Town Hall, with the inquest expected to last between two and three weeks.

The hearing on Tuesday was attended by members of Tamzin's family, including her mother, representatives for Avon and Somerset Police, and the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash.

A representative for the Hall family said they were "keen to emphasise" that the driver involved was "not at fault at all" for Tamzin's death.

An inquest opening at Wells Town Hall previously heard Tamzin exited the car and crossed the road before climbing the crash barrier.

She was hit by a vehicle driven by a member of the public travelling on the southbound carriageway and sustained fatal head, neck and chest injuries.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating her death, including the contact that two Avon and Somerset Police officers had been with Tamzin before she died.

A report published by the watchdog detailed how the teenager was able to remove her handcuffs and climb from the rear passenger side seat to the front passenger seat of the police car.

Amy Hall, Tamzin's mother, previously in a statement described her eldest daughter as her "best friend" and said her family were "devastated" by her loss.

Ms Hall said: "Tamzin was the most kindest, caring, loving, loyal girl ever. She was the most honest person I've ever known; she was very special to me.

She had a great sense of humour, and we had many laughs together.

"She was my shadow from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until she went to sleep at night.

She was such an intelligent young girl and had such interesting perceptions on things in life."