A police motorcyclist who hit an elderly woman when escorting a member of the British royal family last month is facing a criminal investigation over the woman’s death.
Helen Holland, 81, was hit by a motorcycle escorting Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, in west London on May 10. She was treated at the scene by paramedics and later taken to “a major trauma center” in London. She died from her injuries nearly two weeks later, authorities said.
“The Duchess of Edinburgh is deeply saddened to hear that Helen Holland has passed away,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on May 24. “Her Royal Highness’s deepest condolences and sympathies go to all of Ms. Holland’s family.”
Sophie, 58, is married to King Charles’ youngest sibling Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The officer, who hasn’t been named, “has been informed they are under criminal investigation for the offenses of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving,” the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said Tuesday in a news release.
Preliminary findings of an independent investigation conducted by the IOPC — a non-departmental public body that handles complaints made against police in England and Wales — established the officer was “on duty as part of the Special Escort Group when their motorcycle collided with Ms. Holland on a pedestrian crossing on West Cromwell Road.”
Referring to the collision as a “tragic incident,” IOPC director Amanda Rowe said a “thorough, independent investigation” is important to establish the full circumstances. That includes “the actions and decision-making of the officer under investigation.”
Investigators are currently reviewing police bodycam video and security camera footage, and speaking with “officers involved and a number of members of the public who came forward following our witness appeal.”
“At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings,” Rowe said.