Woman Dies in Crash After Police Chase

A tragic incident unfolded on the M25, the iconic London Orbital Motorway, in the early hours of Sunday morning, resulting in the death of a woman following a crash involving a van and three cars. The collision occurred just moments after police officers pursuing the van had stood down, according to a police spokesman.

The M25, spanning 117 miles and encircling most of Greater London, stands as one of the most crucial and busiest roadways in the UK. Initially opened by Margaret Thatcher in 1986, the motorway holds the distinction of being the longest ring road in Europe.

The fatal crash transpired around 4 am on the Hertfordshire section of the motorway, near the junction with the M1. As a consequence, part of the M25, in the vicinity of Radlett and Colley Street, was temporarily closed.

According to a statement from Hertfordshire Constabulary, officers had been in pursuit of a van, but the pursuit had been terminated before the collision. The van, however, went on to crash into three other vehicles. The collision claimed the life of a woman, and her family is currently receiving support from specially trained officers.

A spokesman for the police stated, “No police vehicles were involved in the collision, and the pursuit had been stood down prior to the collision.” As standard protocol, the incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is now conducting a forensic investigation.

The IOPC released a statement, saying, “We are investigating the police actions prior to a fatal road traffic collision on the M25 earlier today. We sent our investigators to the scene and to the post-incident procedure to begin the process of gathering information. Our investigation is in the very early stages.” The thorough inquiry aims to shed light on the circumstances leading up to the tragic crash and the decision to stand down the police pursuit.