Two Metropolitan Police Officers could face criminal charges after a crash with an unmarked police car caused the death of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby.
The woman, aged 38, whose name has not been released, died at the scene of the crash on 17 October in Eltham. Her car was hit by one of two unmarked police cars that were responding to an unrelated incident. A third officer, who was a passenger in the police car involved in the crash, is also facing a misconduct investigation.
The police watchdog confirmed in a statement that an investigation is underway and both police officers who were driving are under criminal investigation for potential driving offences, including potentially causing death by dangerous driving. Both officers are also face an investigation for gross misconduct.
The Independent Office for Police Complaints (IOPC) said that investigators have so far gathered evidence, including forensic collision reports, witness statements, and CCTV and dashcam footage, as part of the ongoing inquiry. However, the body has clarified that this does not necessarily mean disciplinary or criminal charges will follow.
Figures from an IOPC Report published last month show that, in the 2023/24 period, 32 people died in traffic-related interactions with police officers across all police forces in England and Wales. Of these fatalities, 24 were pursuit-related, 1 was emergency response-related, and the remaining 7 were due to other police traffic activity fatalities.
In a statement, IOPC Regional Director, Melanie Palmer expressed sympathy for the woman’s family, emphasizing that they had been informed about the investigation process and assured that their privacy would be respected. She further said that ‘this was a devastating incident on a busy road and our investigators are working hard to establish all of the circumstances leading up to the collision and the actions of the officers involved.’
‘At the end of our investigation we will decide whether to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider possible criminal charges and also decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.’
An inquest into the woman’s death is set to be scheduled at a later date.
