A TRAINEE cop smashed into a tree at almost 100mph before his body was found lying in the road by a horrified passer-by, an inquest heard.
Louie Day, 23, was behind the wheel on the A414 near Ongar in Essex when he ploughed off the road in a suspected suicide.
The Met Police trainee was driving at a staggering speed in the early hours of September 5 last year.
An inquest heard he was “probably driving between 96 and 99 mph” moments before impact.
There were no witnesses to the collision itself, but the wreckage was soon found along the quiet country road.
Emergency services were called to the A414 near King Street at around 3.30am.
A passing driver spotted Louie “lying on the floor” after he had been ejected from the totalled car.
Essex Coroner’s Court heard Louie suffered fatal injuries to his head, chest and abdomen.
Area Coroner Michelle Brown said he had likely died “instantly”.
She added he was “sitting” on his seat belt rather than wearing it at the time of the crash.
Earlier, a delivery driver had seen a car behaving oddly on the same stretch of road.
In a witness statement, the driver said a vehicle travelling towards them carried out a three-point turn in the middle of the road, which seemed “unusual”.
The driver said: “After it turned round, it looked like it was speeding away. It must have been doing faster than 40mph.”
Moments later, the same witness came across the aftermath.
They added: “As I drove on I saw smoke and mist in the road and then saw bits of car and realised something had happened.”
Medical tests later found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in Louie’s system.
The court heard he had left a “note of intention”, with the coroner recording a conclusion of suicide.
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.”
Louie had been training with the Metropolitan Police at the time and was working as a response officer on the East Area Command, based in Barking and Dagenham. He had previously served for two years as a PCSO.
In a heartbreaking statement, Louie’s 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.”
