Crash that claimed woman’s life in Alawa overnight followed a pursuit, police confirm

A crash that claimed a woman’s life in Alawa overnight came after a police pursuit and her death is being treated as a death in custody, police have confirmed.

UPDATE4PM: THE young man who allegedly caused Sunday’s fatal crash had evaded police a number of times before finally speeding through two red lights and slamming into the side of another car, police say.

The 33-year-old man driving the other vehicle and the 21-year-old hatchback driver and his two other passengers are each recovering from non-life threatening injuries in Royal Darwin Hospital.

NT Police Crime Commander Martin Dole said officers first spotted the black hatchback driving dangerously in the Darwin CBD but when they tried to pull it over, the driver failed to stop and “sped off”.

“Due to the amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in town at that time, a decision was made not to chase the vehicle because of the danger it might pose to the public,” he said.

Cmdr Dole said an unmarked police car caught up with the hatchback and covertly followed it until officers made another co-ordinated attempt to pull the driver over near the Rapid Creek shops.

“That vehicle again failed to stop, it sped off, breaching two red traffic lights and collided with a civilian vehicle that was travelling against a green traffic light,” he said.

“There were four occupants in the offending vehicle and unfortunately one of the passengers in the offending vehicle succumbed to injuries that were caused during the crash and she passed away at the scene.”

Next of kin of the 36-year-old woman who died have been notified of her passing.

UPDATE10AM: A CRASH that claimed a woman’s life in Alawa overnight came after a police pursuit and her death is being treated as a death in custody, police have confirmed.

In a statement released on Sunday morning, an NT Police spokesman said a small hatchback carrying four adults ran a red light at the intersection of Trower Rd and Rapid Creek Rd at about 2.30am.

It collided with another car carrying only the driver and a woman travelling in the hatchback was fatally wounded and succumbed to her injuries after she could not be revived.

Police investigate the scene of a horror crash on Trower Rd at Lakeside Drv overnight. Picture Glenn Campbell

All the other occupants of the hatchback were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital where the alleged driver remains in police custody.

Detective Superintendent Peter Kennon said the crash was “a tragic incident for all involved”.

“Detectives from (the) crime division are undertaking an independent investigation on behalf of the Coroner,” he said.

“This matter has been determined to be investigated as a death in custody with the investigation having oversight by the professional standards command.”

Police investigate the scene of a horror crash on Trower Rd at Lakeside Drv overnight. Picture Glenn Campbell

UPDATE 8AM: TROWER Road remains closed with traffic being diverted around the intersection while police and forensic investigators comb the scene.

The front end of a black hatchback is almost completely destroyed, with the engine block lying metres away among the debris and the side of the other car is severely damaged.

An NT Police spokesman confirmed the person who died was a woman and more details would be released shortly.

EARLIER: ONE person has died in an horrific two-car crash in Alawa.

The accident happened early Sunday morning at the intersection of Trower Road and Lakeside Drive.

One witness has described it as a “very bad scene - traffic light down, one car beside centre street lights and other car with no motor or front wheels”.

Police, Fire and Emergency Services are currently responding to the call.

People are asked to avoid the area.

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