Car involved in collision five days before fatal M40 wrong-way crash

Thames Valley Police has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in relation to accident which killed three people on Monday (October 15).

Shortly before 4pm, a Subaru Forester towing a caravan was seen travelling in the wrong direction on the northbound carriageway of the M40.

A few minutes later, the vehicle was subsequently in a collision with two other cars, a Ford Mondeo and a Ford Focus, near junction six.

The driver and a passenger of the Subaru, both aged in their 80s, died. They are yet to be formally identified at this time.

The driver of the Ford Mondeo also died. He was formally identified yesterday as Stuart Richards, aged 32, from Stockport, Cheshire.

Thames Valley Police has referred itself to the IOPC in relation to the fatal collision, due to previous police contact.

On October 10, a damage-only road traffic collision in High Wycombe involving the Subaru Forester was reported to the force.

The IOPC will now make a decision as to whether they will carry out an investigation.

Three dead after car towing caravan crashes while driving wrong way on M40