A 20-YEAR-OLD man is due in court this morning accused of leading police on a car chase before crashing into a queue of traffic and seriously injuring three people.

The collision, which happened in Skipton on Friday afternoon, left three people requiring hospital treatment for various injuries.

North Yorkshire Police said officers from the Roads Policing Group spotted a 4x4 travelling north on the A1(M) between junctions 49 and 50, on the outskirts of Ripon, at around 10am on Friday, September 18.

Police tried to stop the vehicle but it left the motorway at junction 50 and continued onto the A61 towards Thirsk, with officers still in pursuit.

The vehicle was then involved in a crash with queuing traffic on the approach to the bridge outside Skipton on Swale, causing multiple collisions within the queue and the 4x4 to overturn.

Four other vehicles – a red Toyota Prius, a grey Renault Clio, a green Vauxhall Vivaro minibus and a silver Vauxhall Zafira - were damaged in the incident.

Three people also suffered serious injuries which required hospital treatment, including a 19-year-old man from Barnsley in the Shogun who fractured his pelvis. He was initially arrested but was later released without charge.

An 80-year-old woman from Ripon, a passenger in the Prius, broke an ankle and a 35-year-old woman from Harrogate, in the Vivaro, injured an eye.

A stretch of the A61 remained closed until 2.15pm while the emergency services worked at the scene and for the vehicles to be safely recovered. Local diversions were in place throughout that time.

Following questioning in custody, the suspected driver of the Shogun - a 20-year-old man from Barnsley - was charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop for the police, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance and failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis regarding suspected drink-driving.

He has been remanded in custody and will appear at York Magistrates’ Court this morning (Monday, September 21).

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "As is standard practice for collisions that have involved a police pursuit, the incident has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

"Police are continuing to appeal for people to come forward who witnessed the collision or anyone who may have seen the navy blue Mitsubishi Shogun prior to the incident including the police pursuit.

"Anyone with dash-cam footage that may have captured the vehicle are asked to retain the footage and get in touch with the police as soon as possible."

Anyone with information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for the Major Collision Investigation Team or Steven James.

Or email steven.james771@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

Quote the incident reference number 12200163880 when providing information.