A police officer who was driving at 103mph to get to reports of a mass brawl made a "series of errors" that led to a crash killing himself and an innocent motorist.
PC Dave Fields and Lorraine Stephenson both died in the horror smash on the A57 near Sheffield at 8.20pm on Christmas Day 2017 amid poor weather , an inquest heard.
Sheffield Coroners Court heard PC Fields, 45, was responding to a street fight and travelling at 103mph when he lost control and hit an oncoming vehicle containing 61-year-old Mrs Stephenson.
An inquest jury, recording a narrative conclusion, found the collision was the result of a combination of factors including wet conditions and water on the road.
But an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) official has today said PC Fields was at least in part at fault for the fatal crash.
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Miranda Biddle, the IOPC regional director, said: "It is evident that PC Fields made a series of errors that evening.
"He did not adjust his driving for the poor weather conditions, continued driving at speed, and it ended in the loss of Mrs Stephenson's life and his own.
"Our findings in this case are clear, dispassionate and objective, as they should be.
"But this does not mean we cannot be empathetic in understanding the tragic circumstances of this incident, not least because of when it happened, and the impact that this has had on all those affected.
"Whilst we can offer concise evidence, and transparency as to what happened that day, I recognise that our conclusions will do little to ease the suffering of both grieving families.
"Our thoughts and sympathies remain with them."
An IOPC statement added that PC Fields actions were "not in line with his training or the local and national policies and procedures".
The inquest heard at the time of the collision PC Fields was on his way "quite rapidly" to a report of violence between 15 people, in which there was a threat to life.
He was travelling in a marked BMW 3 Series car down a 50mph limit road.
The court heard the vehicle spun in the road on surface water from heavy rain before colliding with a silver Citroen C3 in which Mrs Stephenson was a passenger.
PC Fields and Mrs Stephenson were rushed to Sheffield Northern General Hospital after the crash, where they were pronounced dead.
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The IOPC statement added less than a week before the incident PC Fields had raised concerns about the loss of traction by some police vehicles.
Similar reports had been made by other officers, the public body said.
Since that time South Yorkshire Police has taken steps to address the issues by making vehicle improvements and giving warnings.
An inspection of the car PC Fields was driving that night found no mechanical faults that either caused or contributed to the collision, the IOPC said.
In a statement following the conclusion of the inquest, South Yorkshire Police's Assistant Chief Constable David Hartley, said: "I would like to pass on the condolences of myself and all of South Yorkshire Police to both of the families affected by the tragic events of Christmas Day 2017.
"We will now consider the full findings of the coroner to ensure any recommendations are thoroughly considered and appropriately acted upon."
