Five members of the emergency services have sustained injuries, two of them serious, after being struck by a van while responding to an earlier crash in Essex.
Early Morning Incident on the A130
The sequence of events began in the early hours of Saturday 10 January 2026. A Nissan X-Trail was involved in a crash on the A130. Off-duty police officers and paramedics who came across the scene stopped to offer their assistance.
However, at approximately 12.15 am, the situation escalated dramatically. According to Essex Police, a white Ford Transit van was involved in a second collision at the same location, striking the emergency workers who were helping at the roadside.
Serious Injuries and Swift Arrests
The force confirmed that five personnel were hurt: three police officers and two paramedics. One paramedic and one police officer were taken to hospital with serious injuries and remain there for treatment.
Investigators moved quickly, resulting in the arrest of three local men. The arrests include:
- A 23-year-old man from Canvey arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, and driving while unfit through drink or drugs.
- A 29-year-old man from Westcliff arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a Class B or C drug, and being in charge of a vehicle while unfit.
- A 39-year-old man from Canvey arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while unfit.
All three remain in police custody as inquiries continue at pace.
Appeal for Information and Support for Victims
Chief Superintendent Morgan Cronin stated that the thoughts of everyone at Essex Police were with the injured workers and their families, who are being offered support. He urged the public not to speculate and to allow the investigation to establish the facts.
He issued a direct appeal, saying: “If the public have any information – or crucially dashcam footage of the vehicles involved – that they believe will assist our investigation, please get in touch.”
The incident has drawn attention from government, with Policing Minister Sarah Jones posting on social media platform X that her thoughts were with the officers, their families, colleagues, and witnesses. She added: “I hope they make full recoveries and inquiries quickly determine the cause.”
