Police pursuit lasted ‘less than a minute’ before fatal crash
A police pursuit prior to a collision which left two men dead lasted for less than a minute, an initial inquiry by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has found.
Patrick Connors, 36, and Thomas Sharp, 29, died after the Mercedes C class car they were travelling in was involved in a collision in Salford, Greater Manchester, at around 11.40pm on Wednesday, September 23.
An unmarked police car used its emergency lights and siren to signal the Mercedes to stop but, following a short pursuit along Lower Broughton Street and Frederick Road, the Mercedes collided with two cars, both VW Passats, travelling in the opposite direction.
The driver of the first VW Passat was uninjured. The driver of the second VW Passat, a taxi, had minor injuries. Two women, who were passengers in the back of the taxi, were taken to hospital with serious injuries, which are not thought to be life-threatening.
IOPC Regional Director Amanda Rowe said: “The loss of these two men was a tragic incident and my thoughts are with their families and friends at this difficult time.
“We will be considering in car footage, CCTV and witness statements to establish the circumstances of this incident and whether the local and national guidelines and procedures were followed.”
Inquests into the deaths were opened on Thursday (October 1).
