Two people taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital with serious injuries after car collides with tree in Seaham following police pursuit
Two people were taken to hospital with serious injuries after a car collided with a van and then a tree following a police pursuit.
Lord Byron’s Walk, near the junction with Stockton Road, in Seaham, was closed for more than eight hours while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Durham Constabulary said in a statement on Thursday: “Officers responded to reports relating to the manner of driving of a VW Polo just after 6pm.
“The car failed to stop and a short pursuit ensued.
“The car subsequently collided with a van travelling in the opposite direction in Lord Byron’s Walk, before hitting a tree.
“Emergency services including the fire service, ambulance service and air ambulance attended.
“The driver, a man in his 20s, suffered leg injuries.
“His passenger, a woman in her 20s, suffered head injuries and the driver of the van, a man in his 50s, suffered back injuries.
“All three were taken to hospital for treatment. The car driver and passenger remain in hospital today and the van driver is now recovering at home.
“The road was closed for several hours and reopened at 3am."
The North East Ambulance Service said they was alerted to “a three-vehicle road traffic incident” at 6.35pm.
A statement added: “We sent three emergency ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, air ambulance and a specialist paramedic.
“Three patients were taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital, of which two had serious injuries.”
Durham Constabulary are appealing for anyone who might have seen the Polo leading up to the collision or have dashcam footage to get in touch.
Call 101, quoting incident reference number 401 of August 12.