A serious crash on the A36 happened during a police pursuit, it has been confirmed.
A Vauxhall Astra is said to have failed to stop for Hampshire officers in the Southampton area, before fleeing the county in Wiltshire at around 3.30am this morning (6 July).
The car was soon after involved in a collision with a wall on Southampton Road, between the A338 Salisbury and A27 Whiteparish.
A 45-year-old man, the driver of the vehicle, sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to Southampton General Hospital. A female passenger escaped with only minor injuries.
At the scene, the Vauxhall could be seen to have significant front-end damage and a grey Volvo XC90, believed to be an unmarked police vehicle, was also part of the crash investigation.
Hampshire Constabulary confirmed that the “Astra did not stop and police were in pursuit of the car”, having initially attempted to stop it in Palmerston Road, Southampton, shortly after 3am.
They added: “A mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).”
The main route remains closed for collision investigation work and won’t reopen until later this evening.
