Norfolk police officer had epileptic seizure in hit-and-run crash, not amnesia, hearing finds

A firearms who initially said he had amnesia after causing a hit-and-run crash had in fact had an epileptic seizure, a misconduct hearing has found.

Norfolk PC Karl Warren was in a marked BMW when he drove into the back of a woman's car on a 50mph road in March 2022.

He then drove away from the scene on the A146 near Lowestoft, Suffolk.

The force initially dropped charges for failing to stop and report the crash after medical evidence suggested he had amnesia at the time, and could not remember the crash.

But the watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said the force should then look at it as a possible misconduct.

A misconduct hearing which concluded on Tuesday heard PC Warren had first had an epileptic episode in 2012, and two more before the crash. Since the crash, the officer has had 13.

Medical evidence found PC Warren had “no control of the car at the time of the incident” and was “not aware of his surroundings” to be able to report the incident.

The case was dismissed and PC Warren will face no further action.

PC Warren has since been redeployed to a non-public facing and non-investigative role at the constabulary.

Emily Hewett, whose car was hit, told the misconduct hearing on Monday she was "shocked" PC Warren drove off after crashing into her.

Another officer, PC Ryan Hargrave, who was a passenger in the police car, said PC Warren got too close to the car in front but did not slow down.

After the crash, he asked PC Warren what happened and why he did not stop. He said PC Warren mumbled: "I don't know".

Asked if he had thought PC Warren had suffered a medical episode, he said he had appeared “bewildered”.

PC Hargrave said he had never worked with the officer before.

He was given a written warning after a separate disciplinary hearing in October.

The Norfolk Police Federation, which represents officers, insists there was "no scandal" and said PC Warren had "gone through hell".

The federation's chairman Andy Symonds said: “Police officers are accountable for their actions - and we accept what we do comes under intense scrutiny - but there comes a point when scrutiny can frankly start to feel like an anti-police vendetta."

"Karl sadly has a worrying medical condition. And is paying a heavy price for it," he said.

He continued: "And today PC Warren can hold his head up high as he has done nothing wrong and the panel found no case to answer.

"Karl has been dignified throughout and we as a federation have been fully supporting him."

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