Aerial photos show trail of destruction left by driver of ‘stolen’ Land Rover who veered into maize field in bid to shake off a police helicopter – moments before killing woman in a road crash
Ariel’s photos show the trail of destruction left by a Land Rover that killed a woman in a crash after being chased through a cornfield by a police helicopter.
The driver of the Land Rover Defender left a trail of squashed maize plants after entering the 32-acre field in a desperate attempt to shake off police.
Drone photos show the path the 4×4 vehicle followed as it traveled half a mile through the field of eight-foot maize plants at Earsham on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.
The suspected stolen car collided with a Nissan Juke moments later after leaving the field and entering the A143.
A woman in the Nissan was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene after the crash at around 4:30 p.m. on July 13.
Ariel’s photos show the trail of destruction left by a suspected stolen Land Rover that drove into a cornfield in an attempt to fend off police
Deputy farm manager Jim Aldous, 29, (pictured) stands on the trail left by the Land Rover
Two men in the Land Rover, aged between 20 and 40, were also injured and required hospital treatment.
A spokesman for Norfolk Police confirmed the pair had been arrested on suspicion of death by dangerous driving. No update has yet been given on their condition.
The car was said to have been chased by several police cars and a police helicopter before entering the field at Earsham Park Farm.
The police spokesman said: ‘At the time of the collision, officers investigating the suspected theft of a vehicle from Suffolk had been chasing the Land Rover.
“The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct by Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies as is standard procedure.”
Jim Aldous, 29, the assistant manager of Earsham Park Farm, said: ‘I heard a police helicopter overhead and thought nothing of it.
“Then I got a call from someone who worked on the farm saying something was up. When I got here I heard a big bang when the crash happened.
“We found that the car had driven through the field. I don’t know if the police followed them, but you see tracks where it looks like two different cars drove through.
“It’s just appalling that a woman minding her own business ended up losing her life. I don’t want to be seen making a fuss about the damage to the field.
‘The maize was grown as animal feed and will not be harvested for a few weeks.
The allegedly stolen Land Rover left a trail of destruction after driving half a mile through a corn field in Earsham on the Norfolk/Suffolk border
Flight records show that the suspected stolen Land Rover was followed by a police helicopter
“I can only describe it as absolute carnage. Cars drove around like headless chickens.
“Cars on the main road had stopped and police were everywhere. People didn’t know what to do.’
Online flight tracker records confirm that a police helicopter tracked the suspected stolen vehicle before it crashed into a straight section of the 60 mph limit A143 road.
Tire skid marks are still visible on the road, and pieces of debris lie in the berm on the Harleston-bound side of the road.
Branches of bushes along the road also appear to have been broken off by the impact.
Two trauma helicopters arrived on the scene, Flight Tracker reports.
Jeff Fry, 61, the owner of the Wortwell Bell pub said he was driving past the cornfield when he saw the Land Rover back onto the A143.
He said, “I saw the police standing on a corner near the field and then saw a police helicopter hovering over me.
“The next second this white Land Rover bounced off the field, kicking up dust and stones as it spun. I just drove by and thought, ‘What’s going on?’ ‘
A woman died on the spot after an accident involving a Land Rover and a Nissan Juke on the A143
One Facebook user posted: ‘I thought something bad was going on, the police helicopter looked like it followed something on the A143 and then circled over Earsham for ages.’
One witness posted on Facebook: “Happened right in front of us! It looked like a big police chase, involving a stolen car and another. I’m so sorry to hear it was a fatal outcome.’
The Land Rover Defender was previously reported stolen in the Newmarket area, but police have not yet provided details of the theft.
An IOPC spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that we have decided to investigate independent police actions ahead of a fatal road accident in Norfolk on Sunday afternoon.
“We understand police were in pursuit of a Land Rover Defender before it collided with a Nissan Juke on the A143 shortly after 4.30pm.
“After being notified by Norfolk Police, we dispatched detectives to the scene and to the police after incident procedure to begin our investigation.”