A driver being chased by police for a suspected cloned licence plate crashed into a heavily pregnant woman, killing her unborn child.
Police were in pursuit of the suspect’s car on Lewisham Way, New Cross after it failed to stop at around 11.30pm on Saturday.
That car then collided into another being driven by a man in his 20s, who had his heavily pregnant partner, also in her 20s, in the passenger seat.
Footage obtained by Metro shows the scene of the crash seconds after the car being chased by police ploughed into another vehicle.
The woman’s partner was driving when the vehicle, with suspected cloned plates, failed to stop and hit them.
Paramedics took the pregnant woman to hospital but despite their efforts, her baby died. She remains in hospital and her condition has been described as stable.
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The male driver of the second car was treated for injuries which were found to be neither life-threatening nor life-changing.
In footage obtained by Metro, emergency services can be seen huddling around the woman’s car as they work to free her from the wreckage.
Police also arrested a 29-year-old man who was identified as the driver of the suspect vehicle on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, failure to stop and possession of class A drugs.
A witness told Metro: ‘We heard a giant smash and then saw two cars completely smashed. It looked like a head-on collision.
‘The police were there really fast. They closed the road, and firefighters surrounded the car of the woman and were trying to get people out.
‘It was very scary. Both cars were write-offs, and there was steam coming out of them, probably from the engine.’
They described the fact that a woman had lost her baby as ‘heartbreaking’.
Another said: ‘There was a screeching sound and a bang. There were police everywhere and they set up a huge cordon. It’s sickening to think a woman lost her baby.’
The road where the collision took place has a 20mph speed limit in place and is lined with speed cameras.
DI Suzanne Quinton, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: ‘Our thoughts are with the mother and father involved, and their family following the tragic loss of their child.
‘Our investigation continues. We would ask anyone with information or footage that could help to please come forward.’
A referral has also been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in line with procedure whenever a death or serious injury follows a police pursuit.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.
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