Teenage Girl Identified After Fatal M5 Incident Involving Police Vehicle

Tamzin Hall, a 17-year-old from Wellington, Somerset, has been identified as the teenage girl who died after being struck by a vehicle on the M5. Avon and Somerset Police reported that she was hit by a car moving southbound between junction 24 (Bridgwater) and junction 25 (Taunton) shortly after 23:00 GMT on Monday, having exited a stationary police vehicle. Police further stated that she had exited a police vehicle that had halted on the northbound carriageway while she was being transported, just moments prior to the fatal collision. The force issued a statement saying: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.” Avon and Somerset Police has self-referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is conducting an investigation into the event. “A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.” The force also conveyed that “The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.” On Tuesday, Jon Cummins, Assistant Chief Constable for Avon and Somerset Police, released a statement describing the event as a “hugely distressing incident” and “one that will no doubt cause great shock amongst the public.” The IOPC reported that two officers were transporting the teenager in a police vehicle from an address in Taunton to a custody suite in Bridgwater. The police car came to a halt on the motorway’s northbound carriageway, situated between junctions 25 and 24, just prior to 23:00. According to the IOPC, the teenager then exited the vehicle and was subsequently involved in a collision with a civilian’s car on the southbound carriageway a short time later. An ambulance was summoned, and paramedics arrived within minutes; however, Tamzin succumbed to her injuries at the location. David Ford, the IOPC director, stated that the police watchdog’s function is to “independently investigate all the circumstances surrounding this incident.” He added: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.” “We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.” Mr Ford confirmed that the IOPC had gathered accounts from the officers involved and was in the process of collecting statements from multiple witnesses. He also mentioned that the coroner had been notified, and a post-mortem examination was conducted on Thursday afternoon.