Three seriously injured following crash near Thirsk
A man's due in court accused of leading police on a car chase before crashing into a queue of traffic
A 20-year-old man from Barnsley is due to appear at York Magistrates’ Court today (Monday, 21 September) charged in connection with a police pursuit of a 4x4 which ended in a serious collision at Skipton on Swale near Thirsk.
The navy blue 2003 plate Mitsubishi Shogun was spotted by Roads Policing Group officers travelling north on the A1(M) between junctions 49 and 50, on the outskirts of Ripon, at around 10am on Friday (18 September 2020).
Police tried to stop the vehicle but it left the A1(M) at junction 50 and continued onto the A61 towards Thirsk with officers still in pursuit.
The Shogun then collided with a vehicle in queuing traffic on the approach to the bridge outside Skipton on Swale, causing multiple collisions within the queue. The 4×4 overturned.
Four other vehicles – a red Toyota Prius, a grey Renault Clio, a green Vauxhall Vivaro minibus and a silver Vauxhall Zafira – were damaged in the incident.
Three people also suffered serious injuries which required hospital treatment, including a 19-year-old man from Barnsley in the Shogun who fractured his pelvis. He was initially arrested but was later released without charge.
An 80-year-old woman from Ripon, a passenger in the Prius, broke an ankle and a 35-year-old woman from Harrogate, in the Vivaro, injured an eye.
This stretch of the A61 remained closed until 2.15pm while the emergency services worked at the scene and for the vehicles to be safely recovered. Local diversions were in place throughout this time.
Following questioning in custody, the suspected driver of the Shogun was charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop for the police, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance and failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis regarding suspected drink-driving.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear at York Magistrates’ Court on Monday 21 September, 9.15am, court room 2.
As is standard practice for collisions that have involved a police pursuit, the incident has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Police are continuing to appeal for people to come forward who witnessed the collision or anyone who may have seen the navy blue Mitsubishi Shogun prior to the incident including the police pursuit.
Anyone with dash-cam footage that may have captured the vehicle are asked to retain the footage and get in touch with the police as soon as possible.