Fatal road traffic collision shortly after police pursuit – Staffordshire Police, August 2021

In the early hours of August 202, a pursuit began after an Audi S3 failed to stop for an unmarked police car which pulled up behind it in Backcrofts car park in Cannock. Officers wanted to speak to the occupants in connection with an assault which had been reported. The Audi then turned into Avon Road as a second unmarked police car approached. That car then led the pursuit for around four and a half minutes before it was ended when officers lost sight of the vehicle about a mile-and-a-half from where it crashed.

A short time later both police vehicles came across the collision on the A460, near the junction with Wood Hayes Road, where the Audi had lost control on a bend, and struck a telegraph pole and a tree. The driver and back seat passenger were confirmed dead at the scene. Officers provided first aid to another man, a front seat passenger, who survived his injuries.

The road traffic collision report showed that there was no contact at any point between the police vehicles and the Audi, which was calculated to have been travelling at speeds in excess of 120 mph between Cannock and the scene of the collision.

After we were notified about the collision by Staffordshire Police we sent investigators to the scene and the police post incident procedure to begin gathering information and initial accounts from the officers. During our investigation we took statements from independent witnesses, analysed CCTV from along the route of the pursuit and also reviewed police body worn video footage.

Our investigation did not identify any conduct issues for the officers involved.

Our investigation was independent of the police and aimed to establish what happened in the lead up to the collision. We found the officers acted appropriately and in line with procedures.

The evidence we gathered was provided to the coroner to assist with the inquest proceedings.

We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. We make learning recommendations to improve policing and public confidence in the police complaints system and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

We did not identify any organisational learning.