West Mercia Police constable charged with death by dangerous driving

***Update***

At a court hearing held at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday 12 March 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) offered no evidence in respect of criminal charges against West Mercia Police Officer Abigail Myers.

The officer has now been acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving in relation to a fatal road traffic collision in Evesham on 27 January 2022.

We have been advised by the CPS that they decided to withdraw the criminal charges as there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. 

The marked police car that PC Myers had been driving was responding to an emergency assistance call from a colleague when the collision occurred with a vehicle on Elm Road. The police car’s emergency lights and sirens were activated at the time. 59-year-old Marcus Evans, who was driving the other vehicle, sadly died at the scene. 

Our investigation focused on whether the police car was being driven dangerously and part of the evidence examined if it was being driven in accordance with force policies and training.

At the end of our investigation in July 2022 we submitted our report to the CPS and to West Mercia Police. We advised the force then that we had found a disciplinary case to answer for the officer for gross misconduct. We will be in discussions with West Mercia over next steps.    

Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the family and friends of Mr Evans.

A police constable serving with West Mercia Police has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

PC Abigail Myers, aged 29, is to appear at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 20 June.

She is accused of causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving during an incident in Evesham on 27 January 2022. The police car she was driving while responding to an emergency assistance call was involved in a collision on Elm Road with a vehicle driven by 59-year-old Marcus Evans, who sadly died at the scene.

At the end of our investigation in July 2022, we referred our report to the Crown Prosecution Service who subsequently decided to bring the charges after reviewing the evidence.