Police seek driver of dark car after fatal crash on A5 near Shrewsbury

Officers investigating the accident, which took place in the early hours of June 6, are particularly keen to talk to any motorists who think they may have information.

The Corsa was being followed by a marked police car.

Stefen Boswell, 20, from Wolverhampton, was driving the car when it hit a lamppost on the A5 near Atcham in the early hours. The car had been reported stolen in a burglary in Craven Arms in the early hours of the same day. He was declared dead at the scene by medics.

A passenger in the car, a 19-year-old man, was trapped in the wreckage for about 40 minutes and was given emergency treatment by medics as firefighters battled to free him.

The man was subsequently taken to University Hospital North Staffordshire suffering from head, facial and suspected spinal injuries.

Police are particularly keen to speak to the driver of a dark-coloured vehicle travelling around this time, on the correct side of the dual carriageway between the Emstrey island and Dobbies island.

The driver of the vehicle may have been forced to act quickly to avoid a head-on collision with the red Vauxhall Corsa, which would have been travelling towards them on the wrong side of the dual carriageway.l

Inspector Julian Smith, the investigating officer, said: "It is highly likely that the driver of the dark-coloured vehicle will remember the red Vauxhall Corsa travelling towards them on the wrong side of the road and we appeal for them to contact us."

Previously police were appealing for the driver of an 'Owens' HGV lorry and the driver of a small red Ford vehicle which was travelling from Preston to Emstrey roundabout to come froward. At the time of the incident the driver of the Ford was stopped by officers and advised to take an alternative route which may have led back onto the A5.

They also appealed to the driver of an articulated lorry who may have seen the red Vauxhall Corsa travelling on the wrong side of the dual carriageway and being followed by a police vehicle. These have now been traced.

Officers believe that the driver of the lorry may have been travelling through Shrewsbury on the A5 from Oswestry and heading either onto the M54 towards the West Midlands or on the A49 towards Cheshire.

Anyone who believes they may have information about the crash should call West Mercia Police on 101, quoting incident number 0066S 060614.

West Mercia Police has referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is standard practice in such circumstances.