A man has been killed in a car crash following a police pursuit in Stirling, Scotland. Declan Connell, 27, died after the Vauxhall Corsa he was driving crashed following the chase, which involved officers from Police Scotland. Two passengers in the car were taken to hospital for examination and treatment. Police said the crash had been referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
Connell was driving south on the M9 motorway between junctions 8 and 9 when the accident happened at around 11:50 on Sunday. A police spokesperson confirmed that the car had earlier been pursued by officers in the Stirling area. Emergency services attended, but Connell was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Sean Quinn, who was travelling behind the Corsa, said that it had “undertaken” him and was driving at around 100 mph.
In a statement, Chief Inspector Mark Patterson said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died and extensive inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened. We are appealing for any witnesses, particularly motorists with dash-cam footage, to please get in touch.” The identity of the officers involved in the pursuit has not been disclosed.
The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner is an independent organisation set up to investigate complaints against the police in Scotland. It has the authority to investigate incidents where there may have been misconduct or criminal behaviour by officers. The crash comes as the role of the police during vehicle pursuits is under increasing scrutiny, with a number of studies highlighting the risks involved in pursuing suspects at high speed
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