Man charged over Taunton crash which left pedestrian in critical condition
The incident has been referred to the police regulator
A 23-year-old man has been charged following a collision between a car and a pedestrian in Taunton.
Jack Hawkings, from Wellington, faces charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, and driving without insurance or a licence.
The collision occurred in the East Reach area of Taunton at around 11.15pm on Friday 6th November 2026.
It followed a police pursuit of a vehicle and resulted in a man in his 70s being taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Police activated their lights and sirens when they identified a vehicle without a front number plate, leading to a pursuit through Taunton town centre.
After the collision, officers halted the pursuit and administered emergency treatment to the injured pedestrian before he was transported to hospital.
Alongside Hawkings, two women aged 21 and 24, were arrested in connection with the incident, though they have since been released on conditional bail.
Hawkings remains in police custody and will appear at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 9th November.
Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the incident or the events leading up to it.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is being consulted, which is standard protocol in such matters.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police at 101, quoting reference 5226360682, or complete the online appeals form.
Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.