Man charged after two die on M25 near St Albans following pursuit

Hertfordshire Police said a pursuit was stood down prior to the collision

A man has been charged after two people died in a four-vehicle crash on the M25 in Hertfordshire.

It happened near St Albans on 4 February soon after a police pursuit, which officers said was called off.

Barancan Nurcin, 22, of High Road, Tottenham, London, faces two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and four of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear before magistrates.

Four vehicles were involved in the crash, between junctions 22 and 21A. They were a silver DFSK 580 Glory, a silver Skoda Superb, a black Peugeot 5008 and a white Citroen Dispatch van.

Hertfordshire Police said officers had pursued the van before the crash but stopped because the risk was too high. The case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Zoe Hawes was celebrating her 40th birthday when her vehicle was involved in the crash

Zoe Hawes, from Canvey Island in Essex, was travelling in the DFSK to a holiday for her 40th birthday when she died.

A man in the van was also killed in the crash.

Four others were seriously injured, with one man remaining in a critical but stable condition.