A motorist has died and four others injured when the car they were travelling in left the road and slammed into a tree, in East Grinstead, West Sussex.
All five men were in a silver coloured Volkswagen Caddy when it crashed off the road five minutes after midnight and the driver was killed instantly.
Sussex Police has been referred to the independent police watchdog regarding the incident.
The force admitted that a patrol car was in the vicinity when the crash happened, although it has not yet been revealed whether there was a pursuit involved.
Police and paramedics rushed to the scene in Kipling Way, East Grinstead, West Sussex and eventually managed to free the two most seriously injured young men and take them to hospital.
Two others had suffered more minor injuries in the impact.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "The vehicle contained five men, all from East Grinstead. The 27-year-old driver was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
"Two passengers aged 31 and 28 years, sustained serious injuries and a further two passengers, aged aged 31 and 30 years suffered minor injuries.
"The incident happened in the vicinity of a police car and as such, the matter has been referred to the IOPC for investigation.
"In the meantime, police are urging anyone with any information or dash-cam footage to email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Herald."
