Man held over double death crash

A motorist was arrested by police today after a crash left two men dead and another critically injured.

The man was held by Staffordshire Police after the blue Jaguar XK8 he was driving collided with a grey Skoda Octavia taxi in Stoke-on-Trent.

A police spokesman said officers were called to the scene of the crash, on Victoria Road, at 1am today.

He said: "The scene was attended by all emergency services and the driver (of the taxi) was unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene.

"Two male passengers also from the taxi were taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire for treatment but unfortunately one of them later died from his injuries.

"The driver of the Jaguar has been arrested."

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said the other passenger in the taxi was critically injured.

The WMAS spokeswoman said two ambulances, an incident support officer and four emergency medics attended the scene.

She said: "The driver of the taxi, a man, suffered significant injuries in the crash and was confirmed dead on scene.

"A passenger in the taxi, a man, sustained serious multiple injuries.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance crews, medics and hospital staff nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead shortly after arrival at hospital."

The spokeswoman added: "A second passenger in the taxi, a man in his 20s, suffered abdominal injuries and a fractured ankle."

The man was said to be in a critical condition at hosptial.