The police officer at the wheel was said to have driven through a red light before hitting 26-year-old Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes in Southbury Road, reports Louis Altmann

A Metropolitan Police officer is being criminally investigated for potentially causing death by dangerous or careless driving.

A police car moped collided with a moped at the intersection of Baird Road and Southbury Road on Thursday, 12th October. The moped rider, now named as Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes, aged 26 and from Brazil, sustained serious injuries in the collision and died in hospital in the next day.

This week the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) informed the police officer they are under criminal investigation for two potential offences; causing death by dangerous driving, or causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving. The officer is also being investigated for gross misconduct.

Body-worn video and police dash-cam footage has been secured and reviewed by the IOPC. It has established that the officer drove a marked police vehicle through a red light on their way to an emergency callout, before colliding with Cristopher. The police vehicle’s lights and sirens were activated at the time.

Charmaine Arbouin, IOPC regional director, said: “This is a tragic incident where a young man has lost his life and our thoughts and sympathies are with Mr Guedes’ family and friends both here and in Brazil.

“While our investigation is in its early stages, we have found an indication that a criminal offence may have been committed.”

The IOPC intends to secure video from buses and CCTV at the scene. They will also conduct witness enquiries and obtain an account from the other officer involved in the incident. The officer who drove the vehicle will be interviewed under criminal caution.

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