The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Elderly man fighting for life after police car crash
HOSPITAL: Driver, 87, critical after collision with squad car answering emergency
An elderly man was fighting for his life in hospital last night following a crash with a police car responding to an emergency.
The 87-year-old remained in a critical condition in the intensive care unit of Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
Two police officers and a 51-year-old woman who were hurt in the three-car collision in Kirkcaldy were also rushed to hospital but have been released.
The horrific crash, which is to be probed by the police watchdog, occurred in Kirkcaldy on Friday as the patrol car travelled up Oriel Road under a blue light.
It collided with the elderly man’s red Kia Cerato, which in turn struck a white Audi TT.
Casualties were cut from the wreckage of the vehicles by firefighters before being transferred to the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Police Scotland has appealed for witnesses to the incident, which occurred shortly before 5pm near the Strathallan Road junction, and for dashcam footage showing events unfold.
Due to the involvement of police in a serious incident a referral has been made to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
The 40mph limit road – a main route into Kirkcaldy town centre from the A92 – was closed into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Sergeant David Ross, of the road policing unit, said: “It would’ve been a busy time for commuters and we’re appealing for anyone who might have witnessed this incident to contact us.
“I would ask people to check their dashcam footage.”
Kirkcaldy man Bert Hope, who witnessed the accident, said the police vehicle rose into the air and spun when it hit the red car.
Mr Hope, who had been following, managed to stop his own vehicle before colliding with one in front and went to the aid of the elderly man, who he said was conscious.
He sat beside him in his car and spoke to the man about his daughter and grandchildren before firefighters began cutting him out of the vehicle.
It is understood the man, who had been visiting relatives living near Oriel Road, has suffered multiple injuries in the crash, including a broken leg and broken jaw.
The woman and both the driver and passenger of the police car were taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for treatment to minor injuries.
Police Scotland said it was standard procedure for incidents where a person is seriously injured in contact with the police to be referred to the PIRC.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Police Scotland by calling 101 and quoting incident number 2961 of March 8.