A man in his twenties has been found dead inside a car in woodland near the M54 motorway in Staffordshire, after a teenager with potentially life-threatening injuries was discovered at a separate address in Smethwick — with police now investigating a collision that appears to connect both incidents.
Officers were alerted in the early hours of Friday morning after West Midlands Police received reports of a man in his late teens being taken to hospital by ambulance from an address in Smethwick. The teenager, whose injuries were described as potentially life-threatening, was said to have been involved in a collision on the M54 in the south Staffordshire area. He remains in hospital.
West Mercia Police subsequently launched a search of the area and located a black Vauxhall Astra in woodland close to the M54 eastbound carriageway between junctions 2 and 3, within the Staffordshire border. A man believed to be in his twenties was found inside the vehicle and was pronounced dead a short time later.
The M54 eastbound remains closed in the area while collision investigators from Staffordshire Police examine the scene. Motorists are being urged to use alternative routes.
Anyone with information or relevant dashcam footage is asked to contact Staffordshire Police on 101, use the Live Chat function on the force’s website, or email collision investigators directly at ciu@staffordshire.police.uk, quoting incident number 58 of 15 May.
