Girl, 17, dies in horror collision after jumping from police vehicle
A 17-year-old girl has died after being involved in a horror collision which saw her jump from a moving police car onto a busy motorway.
The teenager was being transported to custody by officers from Avon and Somerset Police[1] before the fatal collision occurred just before 11pm on November 11. It is understood that the girl collided with another vehicle upon jumping from the police car on the M5 motorway and was declared dead at the scene.
A 17-year-old girl has died after being involved in a horror collision which saw her jump from a moving police car onto a busy motorway. (GETTY)
It has been confirmed that nobody else involved in the horror crash was injured in any way.
The usually busy motorway was closed in both directions between Junction 24, Bridgwater and Junction 25, Taunton, until approximately 10.20 am this morning, November 12. Avon and Somerset Police Force has said that it has made a mandatory referral to the UK's[2] police watchdog due to prior police contact.
It is understood that the girl collided with another vehicle upon jumping from the police car on the M5 motorway and was declared dead at the scene.
In an update issued this morning, a spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in the UK said that the teenager had gotten out of the vehicle shortly before the collision occurred as she was being transported to custody.
'We were advised by Avon and Somerset Police that the girl was being transported to custody in a police vehicle and had got out of the vehicle shortly before the collision,' the spokesperson said.
They added: 'We sent our investigators to the police post-incident procedure to begin gathering evidence.
The #M5[3] in #Somerset[4] is CLOSED in both directions between J24 (#Bridgwater[5]) and J25 (#Taunton[6]) due to a Police led incident.
More information including diversion route details to follow shortly. Thanks for your patience if you're held up. pic.twitter.com/Yora3vitZC[7]
-- National Highways: South-West (@HighwaysSWEST) November 11, 2024[8]'Our sympathies are with the girl's loved ones and everyone affected by her death.' It is understood that the girl's next of kin has been notified of the incident and is now being supported by a specially trained officer.
In a statement shortly after the fatal collision, a spokesperson for National Highways South-West[9] said: ''Traffic caught within the closure of the #M5 north between J25 (#Taunton) and J24 (#Bridgwater) is being turned around from the back of the queue. 'Correction to our previous update, south traffic is not being turned yet. But will in due course.
Thanks for your patience.'
References
- ^ Avon and Somerset Police (www.avonandsomerset.police.uk)
- ^ UK's (extra.ie)
- ^ #M5 (twitter.com)
- ^ #Somerset (twitter.com)
- ^ #Bridgwater (twitter.com)
- ^ #Taunton (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/Yora3vitZC (t.co)
- ^ November 11, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ National Highways South-West (x.com)