Car wrecked against underpass wall after apparent police chase on A12 in Leytonstone

A car was left badly damaged against an underpass wall on the A12 in Leytonstone after what appears to have been a police chase on Sunday 11 October.

Dashcam footage shared with UB1UB2 shows a police car with its blue lights on moving quickly through traffic. It appears to be following a car along the A12 near the Green Man roundabout.

Further along the road, the same car can be seen wrecked against the wall of the underpass. Police vehicles are blocking the lanes and officers are directing traffic around the scene.

What is and isn't confirmed

The Metropolitan Police has not publicly confirmed what led to the crash, whether anyone was hurt, or whether anyone was arrested. It is also not known how long the lanes stayed closed or what time the incident happened.

The footage does not show what happened to the people in the car. It does not show whether any other vehicles were involved in the crash either.

When a crash follows a police pursuit and someone is seriously injured, the Met usually refers the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. It has not been confirmed whether that happened here.

A busy stretch of road

The A12 is one of east London's main roads. It links the Blackwall Tunnel approach and Hackney Wick with Leytonstone, Redbridge and the routes out towards Essex. Near Leytonstone the road runs through a series of underpasses beneath the Green Man roundabout. The roundabout is a busy junction where the A12 meets Leytonstone High Road, Hollybush Hill and the roads towards Wanstead.

Several police pursuits have ended in crashes on this stretch of the A12 in recent years. In June 2025 a chase that began on Cathall Road in Leytonstone ended in a serious crash on the northbound A12 near the Green Man roundabout. Five people were taken to hospital, including two police officers.

More recently, on the evening of Saturday 31 October, police tried to stop a car on Homerton Road in Hackney. The Met said officers called off the pursuit after the car began driving the wrong way down the A12. The car then crashed into another vehicle near the Lea Interchange. Two people were taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening or life-changing. The Met said the driver left the scene before officers arrived and a search for him was continuing.

Contacting the police

Anyone with information about the crash in Leytonstone on 11 October can contact the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Information can also be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Drivers who were on the A12 at the time and have dashcam footage can also submit it to the Metropolitan Police online.