WIREDGOV

Our investigation into a fatal collision at Alvaston, near Derby, concluded that a police pursuit which preceded it was carried out appropriately and in accordance with force policies.

Jake Morton, who was 27, died on 21 August last year (2017) when the Vauxhall Corsa he was a front seat passenger in crashed into a wall on the A6 London Road shortly after 11.30pm.

The driver, Ricky Chadwick, aged 26, was jailed for six years when he appeared at Derby Crown Court on Monday (18 June) and admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Shortly before the collision the Corsa had been pursued after it was spotted travelling at speed by a Derbyshire Constabulary officer who was single-crewed in a patrol car parked on a side road.

The police officer, an advanced level driver trained in pursuit management, saw the Corsa drive through a red light and reported to the control room that it was failing to stop and overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road.

Evidence gathered by our investigation indicated that the Corsa reached speeds of up to 112mph along London Road, which has a 30 mph limit. It was found that when the Corsa clipped a central reservation and lost control, it was out of sight of the officer.

IOPC Regional Director Derrick Campbell said: “Our thoughts are with Jake Morton’s family and everyone else affected by his death. We carried out a thorough investigation which found that the pursuit was appropriately self-authorised by a trained officer who carried out a dynamic risk assessment, and followed policy and procedure.”

All police officers and staff were treated as witnesses during the course of our investigationwhich was completed in February this year. We have awaited conclusion of the criminal case before releasing our findings.

Evidence gathered during our inquiries included body worn and CCTV footage along with a number of witness statements, vehicle examination and collision investigation reports.