Police officer injured in crash following car chase near Merry Hill shopping centre

The officer was cut out of their car following the collision with an Audi A3 which was driving on the wrong side of the road near the Merry Hill Centre at around 3am today (Wednesday).

The Audi had been pursued by officers after it failed to stop near the centre, then continued down the wrong way of the A4036 despite having been stung on Coppice Lane.

It then collided with the police car, which had been driving down the correct side of the road and hadn't been involved in the pursuit.

One officer was cut out of the police car and taken to hospital with serious injuries, while the second officer was not injured, while the driver and passenger of the Audi were both arrested and taken to hospital for checks.

West Midlands Police said that an investigation into the incident was underway and it had also referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "Two men have been arrested after a car which failed to stop for officers collided with a police car in Dudley today.

"Our officers became suspicious of the Audi A3 when they saw it being driven near the Merry Hill centre at around 3am.

"They pursued it and it made off from officers before it was stung on Coppice Lane. 

"The Audi continued and drove on the wrong side of the A4036 Merry Hill, before colliding with a police car which was driving on the correct side of the road and which was not involved in the pursuit.

"The driver and passenger of the Audi, aged 42 and 53, were arrested and taken to hospital for checks.

"One of the officers in the car hit by the Audi had to be cut free by firefighters, and was taken to hospital.

"A second officer was not injured and is being supported by colleagues.

"Our investigation continues and witnesses should get in touch via 101 or Live Chat on our website, quoting log 263 of 4 December.

"We have referred ourselves to the IOPC as is standard in the circumstances."

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called to reports of an RTC on Madison Avenue in Brierley Hill just after 3am and sent three ambulances and two paramedic officers to the scene. On arrival, crews discovered two cars had been involved in a collision.

"Three men were treated for potentially serious injuries before two were taken to Midland Metropolitan University Hospital and the third to Russells Hall Hospital."