He drove through a red light at nearly 70mph
An unmarked police car and a Kia Stonic collided on the A4 Portway in Bristol(Image: Leanne Ellis)
A serving police officer who caused a crash that resulted in serious injuries to a woman in Bristol has walked free from court.
Trained police driver PC Daniel Fortune drove at nearly 70 miles-an-hour through a red light before smashing into the victim’s car.
PC Daniel Fortune, 41 and a trained police driver, was given a six month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday, Monday, June 2..
He was also banned from driving for 12 months and will now face an accelerated misconduct hearing.
The incident unfolded when PC Fortune, of Avon and Somerset Police, was driving an unmarked Volvo XC390 and went through a red light at the junction of Hung Road, Shirehampton, on the A4 Portway on September 6, 2023.
That morning, he crashed into a Kia Stonic car which was driven by a member of the public.
The driver of the Kia suffered serious injuries and the passenger in the Volvo was also injured.
PC Fortune had drove through the red light at nearly 70 miles-an-hour whilst responding to an emergency incident, the court heard.
He had pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing after being charged by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Following the investigation by the IOPC, the report was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, who charged the officer.
IOPC director Derrick Campbell said: “The serious injuries sustained by the member of the public due to PC Fortune’s manner of driving will have lasting consequences for the woman and were avoidable.
“The officer is a trained police driver.
“While driving guidance permits officers to pass through red lights and travel above the speed limit where necessary in the circumstances, an officer’s manner of driving shouldn’t endanger the safety of other road users.
“PC Fortune admitted driving an unmarked police car dangerously when he didn’t brake or slow down and passed through a red light at nearly 70mph.
By the time he saw the other vehicle, he was travelling too fast to avoid a collision.”
Detective Superintendent Larisa Hunt, head of the Professional Standards Department at Avon and Somerset Police, said: “PC Fortune has admitted a serious driving offence for which he’s now been sentenced.
“The collision left a woman with very serious injuries from which she’s still recovering and our thoughts are with her.
“Police officers are expected at all times to follow national and local guidance, and their training, when responding to emergency incidents.
“Now the criminal proceedings have concluded, an accelerated misconduct hearing will be held later this month.”