Woman left for dead after police pursuit

18 February 2004

AMSTERDAM — A 36-year-old Groningen woman was killed on Tuesday morning in a car accident after she was pursued by police.

Police suspected the three occupants of the car were guilty of a break-in and pursued the vehicle when the suspects tried to make a rapid getaway.

But out of safety concerns, police soon reduced the speed of their pursuit in the narrow inner city streets of Groningen and the lost sight of the vehicle.

The car was later found lying upside down along the side of a road. The car had hit the concrete edge of a slope and had rolled onto a bicycle path 3m below.

The woman was trapped in the car and died a shortly after at the scene. Police also found stolen computer equipment in the vehicle, news agency ANP reported.

The 31-year-old male owner of the car was arrested in his Groningen home later on Tuesday. He had suffered shoulder and rib injuries.

The third suspect, a 35-year-old Groningen man, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon.

Subject: Dutch news