A watchdog has launched an investigation after a boy was left fighting for his life when hit by a police car. The vehicle was reportedly responding to a 999 call with blue lights at the time of the crash.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) last night declared an independent investigation following the collision in Lancaster, Lancs Live reports. It will look at the actions of Lancashire Constabulary officers prior to the collision.
The incident happened at around 8.30pm on May 25th on Owen Road. A police driver was responding to an emergency call and crashed into an 11 year-old-child. The boy suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
The IOPC said: "After being notified by Lancashire Constabulary, we sent investigators to the scene and the police post-incident procedure to begin our enquiries and to start gathering evidence. Initial evidence indicates the officer driving had activated his emergency equipment at the time the collision occurred."
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IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said: “This is an incredibly tragic incident and my thoughts are with the boy, his family and all those affected by the incident.
“There is a mandatory requirement for forces to refer incidents like this to us, which result in death or serious injury, and our investigation will thoroughly examine the circumstances prior to the collision, including whether appropriate policies and procedures were followed.”
A Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with the child’s loved ones at this time. An investigation is underway to establish the full circumstances that led to the collision. We have voluntarily referred this matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is standard with an incident of this nature.”
Bystanders described 'upsetting scenes' in the aftermath of the collision.
One man, who asked not to be named said: "What happened is awful. He is just a little boy. Everyone is hoping and praying he gets better."
Another woman, who came upon the scene while out riding her bike, said: "People were screaming, there were crowds everywhere and there must have been 15 police cars lined up. They all arrived with their sirens on. It seemed to take such a long time for the ambulance to arrive. The police car was there with the front end smashed up and the boy had been put in the recovery position."
The young boy remains in hospital fighting for his life following the incident. Pictures from the scene show a traffic light post has been completely destroyed.
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