Met officer under investigation following fatal collision in Enfield

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is criminally investigating the actions of a Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer who was involved in a fatal collision with a motorbike rider in Enfield, north London on 12 October.

Although formal identification is yet to take place, we can confirm that Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes, aged 26, a Brazilian national, sustained serious injuries in the collision, which occurred shortly after 3pm at the intersection of Southbury Road and Baird Road. He was taken to hospital where he sadly died in the early hours of 13 October.

The officer, who is a police constable, has been advised that they are under criminal investigation for the potential offences of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving. They are also being investigated for potential gross misconduct. 

Our independent investigation began following a mandatory referral from the force on the day of the incident. Investigators attended the scene and the post incident procedures where we secured police body worn video and police dash cam footage, which has been reviewed.

We have established that an officer driving a marked police vehicle drove through a red light on Southbury Road and collided with Mr Guedes, who was turning right on a motorbike onto Baird Road. The officer was on their way to an emergency callout and the police vehicle’s lights and sirens were activated prior to the collision.

Charmaine Arbouin, IOPC Regional Director said: “This is a tragic incident where a young man has lost his life and our thoughts and sympathies are with Mr Guedes’ family and friends both here and in Brazil. We have spoken with Mr Guedes’ family to explain our role and we will keep them updated as our investigation progresses.

“While our investigation is in its early stages, we have found an indication that a criminal offence may have been committed. 

“We will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr Guedes’ death and at the end of our investigation, we will then decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and decide whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings.”

As part of our investigation, we will be securing video footage from local buses in the area and conducting CCTV and witness enquiries. We will also obtain an account from the other officer involved in the incident and the officer driving the vehicle will be interviewed under criminal caution in due course. The Coroner has been informed.