Northumbria Police have confirmed a man arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving has been released on police bail following a shocking crash on the A1 near Newcastle that left seven officers hospitalised.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday (10 April) after police attempted to stop a black BMW in the Whickham area of Gateshead due to concerns about the manner in which it was being driven. A pursuit was authorised when the vehicle was later sighted in Swalwell at around 2.25am.
Just two minutes later, the car and five police vehicles were involved in a major collision near the Derwent Haugh Road junction on the A1. Shocking images showed four marked police cars severely damaged and an unmarked car flipped on its side.
Seven police officers were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Northumbria Police confirmed that four of those officers have since been discharged, while others remain under observation. One officer is currently receiving treatment for a leg injury.
The two occupants of the BMW – a man and a woman in their 20s – were uninjured in the crash. The woman was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving but has since been released with no further action.
The man, initially arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, has now been released on police bail pending further investigation.
The crash closed a large section of the A1 near Denton, Newcastle, for more than 12 hours as emergency services responded and investigators examined the scene.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said:
“An investigation is under way to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and we would urge anyone with information, including dashcam footage, to come forward.”
The Great North Air Ambulance Service confirmed that its critical care team responded within minutes, working alongside the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) to assess and treat multiple patients at the scene.
A spokesperson for GNAAS said:
“Our team arrived on scene at 2.51am and assisted NEAS in treating several patients who were then transported to hospital by road ambulance.”
Road closures were in place for several hours with diversions implemented from the Derwent Haugh Road junction northbound and the A69 roundabout southbound.
Police continue to appeal for witnesses or dashcam footage relating to the BMW’s movements or the collision. Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police via the force website or by calling 101 quoting log number 40 10/04/24.
