A police watchdog has asked people who witnessed an incident which resulted in a man's death after a car collided with a lorry on the A316 to come forward as an investigation launches.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said any help with its inquiries is needed as they look into the cause of the death, which occurred after police pursued the man in a car chase .
At around 4.40am on Wednesday (February 8), a black Audi was being pursued on the southbound carriageway by the Metropolitan Police before it crashed into a stationary lorry.
A316 crash
The driver of the Audi, a man in his late 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The A316 was closed for 16 hours as the stretch of road was examined by emergency services, but re-opened on both sides at around 8.30pm on Wednesday evening.
Here, getwestlondon take a look back at the incident and what happens next with the investigation as a fresh call for witnesses is made.
Who are the IPCC and happens next in their investigation?
- The IPCC carry out independent investigations into the most serious complaints and incidents involving the police.
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As part of the investigation, they take witness statements, interview police officers, analyse CCTV footage and any other records of an incident.
- What happens once the investigation is over? At the end of the investigation, the IPCC write a report setting out what it found. It outlines whether there’s a case to answer for misconduct or poor performance.
- If it thinks a police officer or member of police staff may have committed a criminal offence, they pass it to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
- The CPS is responsible for deciding whether the person should be prosecuted.
- The report is also sent to the police force and given to the family.
Deputy chair of the IPCC, Sarah Green, said: " We have an independent investigation under way and would be grateful to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision or any part of the incident.
"My sympathies go out to the man's family and friends and all those affected by this tragic event."
Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the IPCC by emailing witness@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk or by telephone on 0800 096 8070.
The Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) was also informed of the incident.
The DPS is responsible for investigating incidents involving the metropolitan Police.
Recap: What, where and when the crash happened
Getwestlondon received reports of a lorry and car crash on the A316 Sunbury southbound which took place at around 4.40am.
A large stretch of the road had been closed and diversions put in place all around the busy commuter area before rush hour as police investigated.
An officer told getwestlondon police services were nearby because they had been pursuing the driver of the car before he collided with a stationary lorry and died at the scene.
The next of kin were informed of the man's death, but no name has been given by authorities as yet and the reason for pursuit has not been shared by officers.
The incident led to huge traffic delays in and around the A316 stretch on the M3 and beyond as people queued for over an hour near diversion spots.
Motorists travelling during the morning rush hour were placed on diverted routes and many reported being stuck as the A316 was closed in both directions at junction 1.
Although traffic eased up later in the day, Highways England and the police remained on the scene until the A316 reopened at around 8.30pm that evening.
Pictures and footage show scale of car crash aftermath
Eerie footage emerged later that day from the scenes of the fatal incident as rare shots of the empty roads were taken.
The remains of the car showed the severity of the crash after getwestlondon photographers pictured the tragic remains.
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