Outwood fatal police pursuit crash investigation begins

Image caption, A male pedestrian died at the scene on Leeds Road in Outwood, police said

11 June 2020

The police watchdog has launched an investigation into the death of a man hit by a car involved in a police pursuit.

The pedestrian died after he was struck on Leeds Road, Outwood, near Wakefield, at about 17:20 BST on Tuesday.

The car was being pursued by a marked police vehicle after the driver failed to stop, officers said.

A 22-year-old man held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving has been bailed pending further inquiries.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said: "West Yorkshire Police made a mandatory referral to us following the incident and we declared an independent investigation.

"Our investigators travelled to the scene, attended post-incident procedures, and have begun gathering relevant evidence."

IOPC Regional Director Miranda Biddle said: "This is a tragic event and my sympathies are with the family and friends of the man who has died and all those affected by this incident."