Police officer who drove through red light caused crashed in Truro

A Devon and Cornwall police officer who drove through a red light in an unmarked police car while answering an emergency call has been found guilty of careless driving.

PC Craig Powell collided with another car, causing a woman to be injured and require hospital treatment, on Friday 22 October 2021.

The 43-year-old has now been fined £350, given five penalty points and ordered to pay compensation of £706.55 and costs of £119.

At a hearing held at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 25 April, he was found not guilty of dangerous driving but guilty of careless driving, following the incident in Truro.

PC Powell was driving an unmarked BMW 5, which was fitted with emergency response lights and sirens, when he responded to reports of a sighting of a suspect vehicle.

He followed a marked police car, but both vehicles turned off their lights and sirens after travelling around 24 miles.

PC Powell took a different route to the marked car when he turned into Tregolls Road, Truro, where he saw what he thought was the suspect vehicle heading in the opposite direction.

Having turned around, he turned the emergency response equipment back on and headed along Tregolls Road on a dual carriageway, which has a speed limit of 30mph, at speeds of up to 68mph.

PC Powell approached the traffic lights at the junction with Trevithick Road and moved into lane one at a speed of 42mph. He passed through a red light without slowing and collided with a grey Mazda 2 just before 9am.

The woman driver of the Mazda sustained minor injuries.

Following the collision, PC Powell had his emergency driving exemptions suspended and but has remained on full duties. This remains subject to an internal disciplinary process.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said: “Officers receive extensive driver training to ensure they undertake their role effectively and without putting the public at any greater risk.

“On this occasion, the officer has failed to maintain the standard of driving that we expect, and this subsequently compromised public safety. 

“It is fortunate that the casualty was not more seriously injured, and our thoughts are with her.”