PC Rachel Wakefield Charged Over 65-Year-Old Woman's Injuries
Summary
The IOPC announced that PC Rachel Wakefield of Nottinghamshire Police has been charged with causing serious injury by careless driving following an investigation into a road collision on 12 August. The officer was responding to a firearms incident when she struck a 65-year-old woman at a pedestrian crossing in Woodhouse Way, leaving the victim with multiple fractures. The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charge after receiving the IOPC's file of evidence on 19 February. The officer is scheduled to appear at Derby Magistrates Court on 13 April.
What changed
The IOPC completed its independent investigation into a road traffic collision on 12 August involving a Nottinghamshire Police response vehicle and a 65-year-old pedestrian. Following referral from Nottinghamshire Police and submission of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, PC Rachel Wakefield was charged with causing serious injury by careless driving. The officer was responding to reports of a person with a firearm when the collision occurred at a pedestrian crossing with activated blue lights and sirens.\n\nThis case has implications for law enforcement agencies regarding vehicle operation during emergency responses. Police forces should review driving policies at pedestrian crossings and ensure adequate training on balancing response urgency with public safety, particularly pedestrian protection. The IOPC continues its role in investigating police conduct that results in injury or death.
What to do next
- Monitor for court outcome of PC Wakefield's case on 13 April
- Review police pursuit and emergency response driving policies
- Ensure pedestrian crossing protocols are enforced during emergency responses
Penalties
Officer faces potential conviction for causing serious injury by careless driving; sentencing consequences to be determined by court
Archived snapshot
Apr 10, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Notts Police driver charged over serious road collision
Published: 10 Apr 2026 News A Nottinghamshire Police officer has been charged with causing serious injury by careless driving following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into a crash that left a woman with multiple fractures.
PC Rachel Wakefield was driving a marked police response car on 12 August last year when she collided with a 65-year-old woman at a pedestrian crossing in Woodhouse Way.
The officer – who was driving a Skoda Octavia with blue lights and sirens activated – was responding to reports of someone with a firearm in the Kimberley area when the collision occurred at 3.47pm.
Nottinghamshire Police made a mandatory referral to us on 13 August, and we decided to independently investigate what happened.
We sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service on 19 February which subsequently authorised a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving.
The officer is due to attend Derby Magistrates Court on 13 April for a first appearance.
Tags
- Nottinghamshire Police
- Road traffic incidents
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