Published Date: 24.04.2004

The Police Ombudsman's Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 19-year-old man near Whiteabbey in County Antrim early this morning.

Police Ombudsman investigators were called to a wooded area known as The Glen where the incident happened at around one o'clock.

A man's body was taken from a stream known as The Three Mile Water. The body had been trapped under a police car, which has also been removed from the water.

Ambulance and Fire Service crews also attended the scene

It's understood the incident happened after the police vehicle had followed a white Toldedo car which the man had driven from the Carrickfergus area into The Glen.

The Police Ombudsman's Office investigates all incidents where deaths have occurred when police officers are present.

A Police Ombudsman Senior investigator said his team have spent much of the day at the scene:

"We will carry out a full independent and impartial investigation and search for evidence which will tell us exactly what happened. We have conducted a forensic analysis of the scene and have identified all those who were present.

"I have tasked some of my officers to support the dead man's family, who are understandably shocked. Our sympathies are with them," he said.

The dead man's name has not been released yet. A Post Mortem examination is due to be carried out later this afternoon.

The Police Ombudsman's Office has appealed for anyone who saw what happened in The Glen area to contact them. The Office is particularly keen to hear from the driver of a dark coloured taxi who may have seen the Toledo car in the area of the Fortfield Service Station in Carrickfergus.

The telephone number is 028 90 828685

ENDS