Police Van Kills Yorkshire Pensioner

3 June 2013, 09:36 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating after an elderly man died following a collision with a police van in Leeds.

The 83 year old has been named locally as Donald Bennett.

He was in Pudsey Park when he was hit by the unattended vehicle.

Police had been called to reports of a disturbance in the park, which is between Leeds and Bradford, shortly after 2pm on Saturday.

The two officers left the Vauxhall van to deal with the incident when the vehicle rolled into the pensioner, who was walking through the park.

Mr Bennett, who was believed to be married and visiting the park with family, was treated by ambulance staff at the scene but was pronounced dead shortly after.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the matter has been referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

In a statement, the IPCC said:
"The force referred the incident, which happened on Saturday at about 2.15pm to the IPCC and an IPCC investigator was sent to the scene.

An independent IPCC investigation was launched shortly afterwards.''

As police investigators photographed the van on Saturday, bricks from a landscaped wall and what appeared to be a walking stick were visible under the vehicle, which came to a rest at the end of a paved, sloping footpath.