An 18-year-old man tragically lost his life on the M5 motorway Sunday night after exiting an ambulance and being struck by a vehicle.
At 11:04 pm on November 30, emergency services were alerted when the patient left an ambulance that had stopped on the northbound carriageway between junction 21 (Weston-super-Mare) and junction 20 (Clevedon) for further treatment while en route to hospital.
Reports soon confirmed the young man was on the motorway. A police officer on duty encountered the situation and attempted to guide the individual to safety to minimize risk both to him and other road users.
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Tragically, moments later, the man was hit by a southbound car. Despite the prompt response and efforts of emergency personnel, he died at the scene.
His family has been informed and is receiving care and support from a specially trained liaison officer.
Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall expressed condolences: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family during this heartbreaking time. We will provide all necessary support.
“This incident has deeply affected our officers and ambulance staff, who are understandably very distressed.
“In addition to supporting the family, we are ensuring welfare provisions for our personnel and others directly involved or who witnessed the event.
“The Professional Standards Department has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is conducting an independent investigation. We are fully cooperating with their inquiry.”
The M5 was temporarily closed to allow emergency services to manage the scene and conduct investigations. The motorway reopened on the morning of December 1.