A car driver who was being pursued by the police tragically lost his life in a collision with two other vehicles in south London on Friday night.

According to the Metropolitan Police, six individuals from the other two cars sustained injuries during the incident, which occurred on Wickham Road in Croydon, near the intersection with Shirley Road, just before 9:00 PM BST. One of those injured is reported to be in serious condition.

The deceased, a 63-year-old man, was believed to be operating a vehicle with cloned license plates.

Two male passengers, both aged 61, were taken into custody on suspicion of being in a stolen vehicle. Additionally, one of them faces charges for possession of class A drugs, and both remain in police custody, as reported by authorities.

The sequence of events started at 8:28 PM BST, when officers on patrol began trailing a car suspected of having cloned plates, according to a police statement.

At 8:38 PM BST, officers attempted to pull over the vehicle near South Norwood High Street; however, the driver did not stop, prompting the chase to ensue.

Just six minutes later, the vehicle crashed into two other cars on Wickham Road in Croydon, close to Shirley Road, law enforcement reported.

Consequently, officers provided CPR to the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. His family has been notified.

The London Ambulance Service, along with the London Fire Brigade, attended to several individuals at the scene before transporting six people to the hospital, one of whom sustained injuries that are potentially life-threatening.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated, “The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards has been promptly informed, and a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been made, as is required whenever a police pursuit results in a collision leading to death or serious injury.”

The IOPC will now undertake an independent investigation into the incident.