A large stretch of the A1 was closed near Denton, Newcastle, for more than 12 hours following the crash which left seven police officers in hospital and sparked widespread congestion
Police have issued a major update following the horror A1 car crash that left seven police officers in hospital yesterday.
Shocking images showed four badly damaged marked police cars, as well as an unmarked vehicle flipped on its side. Northumbria Police said seven officers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A black BMW involved in the collision, and believed to be a civilian car, was carrying two occupants who were uninjured. A large stretch of the road was closed near Denton, Newcastle, for more than 12 hours following the smash – which took place at around 2.30am on Wednesday.
A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. A woman, also in her 20s, was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving. On Thursday morning, Northumbria Police confirmed the man has been released on police bail. The woman has been released and will face no further action.
The force previously said officers had tried to stop a car in the Whickham area of Gateshead at around 2am due to concerns over the way it was being driven. A pursuit was authorised when it was sighted a few minutes later, at around 2.25am – but just two minutes later, the vehicle, and five police cars, were involved in the collision, the force said.
Northumbria Police confirmed an investigation is under way. The force said specialist officers from the Roads Policing Unit were sent to the area and at 2.25am got behind a car, and a pursuit was authorised. At 2.27am the car and five police vehicles were involved in a collision on the A1 near the Derwent Haugh Road junction.
Shortly after the crash, Northumbria Police said in a statement: “Shortly before 2:30am today (Wednesday) we received a report of a multi-vehicle collision on the A1 northbound near the Derwent Haugh Road junction, Gateshead. Emergency services are currently in attendance. A section of the road is closed in both directions – there are diversions in place from the Derwent Haugh Road junction northbound, and the A69 roundabout southbound.”
A spokesperson for Great North Air Ambulance Service said: “Our critical care team was activated at 2.38am to reports of a road traffic collision on the A1 near Denton. We had a paramedic and doctor respond on a critical care car and they arrived on scene at 2.51am. Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) to assess and treat multiple patients. The patients were taken to hospital by a NEAS road crew.”
