Police car kills pedestrian

A 50-YEAR-old pedestrian died after he was hit by a police car which was answering a 999 call, a force spokesman said yesterday.

The collision happened on Whiteleas Way, South Shields, South Tyneside. The pedestrian was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The two police officers in the vehicle were treated for minor injuries.

Northumbria Police – which has referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission – said the officers were responding to a life-threatening incident when the collision happened.