A popular trainee police officer killed himself after crashing into a tree at a speed of nearly 100mph, an inquest into his death has heard.
Louie Day, 23, likely died ‘instantly’ as a result of his injuries in the early hours of September 5 last year.
The fatal collision occurred on the A414, a major Essex road, near Ongar.
There were no witnesses but Mr Day was found by a passerby shortly after the crash.
He was training with the Metropolitan Police at the time. He had been a police community support officer (PCSO) for two years beforehand.
An inquest at Essex Coroner’s Court in Chelmsford heard on Friday that Mr Day suffered multiple injuries to his head, chest and abdomen, reports EssexLive.
The young man had also left a ‘note of intent’, the court heard. His cause of death was recorded as suicide.
Emergency services were called to the A414 near King Street after the collision at around 3.30am on September 5.
Trainee police officer Louie Day, 23, crashed into a tree at a speed of ‘between 96 and 99mph’, an inquest into his death, which was ruled a suicide, heard
Mr Day was found by a passing driver who saw him ‘lying on the floor’ having been ejected from the car.
Michelle Brown, area coroner for Essex, said the trainee police officer had likely died ‘instantly’ and was ‘sitting’ on his seatbelt rather than wearing it.
Medical examinations found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in his system.
A delivery driver’s witness statement said a car travelling towards them was seen to do a three-point turn in the middle of the road which seemed ‘unusual’.
They said: ‘After it turned round, it looked like it was speeding away. It must have been doing faster than 40mph.’
‘As I drove on I saw smoke and mist in the road and then saw bits of car and realised something had happened,’ the driver added.
Experts estimate that Mr Day was ‘probably driving between 96 and 99mph’.
Ms Brown concluded: ‘Louie Day from Brentwood died on September 5, 2025, on the A414 near King Street due to multiple injuries (head, chest and abdomen) sustained as a result of a road traffic collision as the driver and only occupant, leaving a note of intent. The conclusion is one of suicide.’
Mr Day’s death is one of a number to have occurred on the A414 between Chelmsford and Harlow.
Work is ongoing to make the road safer and reduce serious collisions – including the installation of new average speed cameras.
The road is currently subject to a temporary 40mph speed limit while the cameras are installed.
Mr Day worked as a response officer with the Metropolitan Police on the East Area Command, based from Barking and Dagenham.
In a statement, his family said: ‘It is with the greatest sadness that we announce the passing of our son, Louie Day, a beautiful soul who has left this world and will be greatly missed by all who loved him.
‘We would now like some privacy to grieve in peace.’