An investigation by the Police Ombudsman's Office has found no evidence of police misconduct during the events which led up to a fatal collision on the Glenside Road, west Belfast, on 3 July 2008.
The collision happened shortly after 1.30am after police responded to reports that two cars were driving dangerously in the area.
The caller reported that two cars were performing manoeuvres known as "doughnuts", in which the cars' wheels spin while they rotate through 360 degrees. A police patrol (Callsign 1) responding to the reports encountered two vehicles in the car park of the Ballymac Hotel, on the Rock Road outside Belfast.
As the police car entered the car park, the two vehicles - a green Honda Civic and a maroon Toyota Carina - drove out of it before stopping on either side of the carriageway a short distance along the Rock Road. When the police car followed them out of the car park, both vehicles reversed at speed. The Honda struck the front nearside of the police car before both it and the Toyota continued to reverse further along the road.
Police car was undriveable after collision.
The driver of Callsign 1 attempted to perform a U turn to follow the vehicles, but the damage had rendered the police car inoperable.
Meanwhile, another police patrol (Callsign 2) had heard a radio transmission from Callsign 1 requesting assistance. Whilst going to help, Callsign 2 was passed by two vehicles travelling in the opposite direction which matched the description of the vehicles provided by Callsign 1.
The driver of Callsign 2 stopped the vehicle and turned around to follow the suspect cars. Having travelled some 60 metres in the opposite direction, he came across the green Honda Civic upturned on the road.
The area was dark and illuminated only by the headlights of the police car. After apprehending one man at the scene, an officer discovered another man (Man A), who had been driving the Honda Civic and had been ejected from the vehicle during the impact. The officer attempted first aid and summoned an ambulance, but the injuries proved fatal.
The other car, the Toyota Carina, which had stopped at the scene, made off as an officer approached.
In line with standard protocol, the PSNI referred the incident to the Police Ombudsman's On-call Senior Investigation Officer, who commenced an immediate investigation of the events.
A forensic examination of the scene of the collision involving Callsign 1 close to the Ballymac Hotel confirmed that the green Honda Civic had been reversed into the front nearside corner of the police vehicle.
Police Ombudsman investigators also interviewed the man, Witness A, who had been travelling in the Honda as Man A drove the vehicle. They established that the vehicle had been stolen in Newtownards and that Man A and Witness A had been drinking alcohol. They also received evidence which confirmed that the Honda had been reversed into a police car, and that neither occupant had been wearing a seatbelt.
Car flipped over about five or six times.
In addition, investigators received witness evidence that, after passing another police car travelling in the opposite direction, the Honda had slid round a bend and struck a grass bank, which caused the car to flip over about five or six times.
This account was confirmed by forensic examination of the collision scene, which found that there had been no contact between Callsign 2's police car and the Honda prior to the Honda colliding with the verge.
Data from the Incident Data Recorders fitted to the two police cars corroborated police accounts of what had happened.
Police Ombudsman investigators reviewed all relevant police documentation relating to the incidents, including police radio transmissions. They also issued a media appeal for witnesses and conducted house-to-house enquiries, which resulted in a number of witnesses providing statements.
Police actions did not contribute to death.
Having reviewed the evidence, the Police Ombudsman found that police had not been in pursuit of the Honda Civic at the time of the fatal collision and concluded that their actions had not contributed to Man A's death.
The case was also heard before Belfast Coroner's Court on 1 December 2009, at which the Deputy Coroner reached a similar conclusion. He stated that the officers involved had nothing to question themselves about in relation to their actions and said they had been doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing. He added that it was fortunate no one else had died during the incident.
The Police Ombudsman made no recommendations to police as a result of the investigation and found no evidence of any criminal or disciplinary misconduct by any of the officers involved.