[12 FEB 01] CRIMES, FIRES & ACCIDENTS
Police Car Crash Kills Pedestrian

A 40-year-old man was killed by an unmarked police car as he walked home after a night out with his wife and  friends yesterday.

The incident happened in Glasshouse Lane, Kenilworth, 20 metres north of the junction with Edwards Grove at 2am.

The victim was walking with two men and a woman along the road when an unmarked car travelling in the same direction struck him.

He was later named as Kevin Francis Edgington, a painter and decorator from woodland Road.

His wife Julie, aged 38, was with him at the time of the accident. the couple have three children, girls aged 14 and 11, and an eight-year-old boy.

Their friends Diana and David Twissell, aged 42 and 45, of Watling Road, Kenilworth, were with them at the time.

The car was being driven by a detective carrying out a plain clothes operation. It was not in pursuit of another vehicle at the time of the crash.

Mr Edgington pronounced dead at the scene and taken to Warwick Hospital by ambulance. Mrs Edgington was treated for shock, and Mrs Twissell was treated for a cut to the ankle.

Another detective who was in the passenger seat of the car suffered facial injuries.

The Police Complaints Authority has been asked to investigate to see if the inquiry into the collision should be carried out independently.

Supt David Whitehouse said:

"This is a terrible tragedy and on behalf of the force I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the man who has died.

"We have begun a thorough investigation into the incident and that is in order that we can his family can fully understand what happened."