Highways worker killed in M6 crash after vehicle is hit by car being pursued by police
A highways worker has died after a car police were trying to stop crashed into his stationary vehicle on the M6.
The man was killed shortly after 5am on the northbound carriageway of the motorway in Staffordshire, between Junction 14 for Stafford and 15 for Stoke.
Staffordshire Police said officers were trying to stop an Audi, which they believed had been "involved in an incident within the West Midlands area" when it crashed into the stationary highways vehicle.
The driver and sole occupant of the highways vehicle, a man in his 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
The victim's next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers, while a file will be prepared for the coroner.
The incident has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to the police activity prior to the crash.
The crash has led to the closure of the M6 northbound between the two junctions for much of the day.
The motorway was eventually reopened at mid-afternoon on Saturday after being closed for around nine hours.
"Officers would like to thank drivers for their continued patience and understanding at this time," a Staffordshire Police spokeswoman added.
In a statement National Highways confirmed one of its workers had died.
A spokesman for the agency said: "At National Highways we want everyone to get home safe and well. Tragically this morning this couldn’t happen for one of our roadworkers who was working on the M6 improvement scheme.
"Our thoughts remain with their family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time."
The IOPC also confirmed that it has begun an "independent investigation into police actions" before the fatal crash.
A spokesman said: "An Audi car being pursued by police from the Central Motorway Patrol Group collided with a stationary highways vehicle in a cordoned off roadworks area of the carriageway at 5.14 am.
"The occupant in the stationary vehicle sadly died at the scene. Initial police information indicates that the Audi driver had failed to stop for police around 10 minutes earlier.
"We were notified of the incident by Staffordshire Police and sent investigators to the scene and to the police post incident procedures this morning to begin our enquiries.”
