A motorist who was injured in a crash has died after the ambulance taking him to hospital left the road in poor weather conditions and hit a bush.
A police officer was driving as paramedics treated the man who was seriously injured when his car hit a highways vehicle in East Sussex.
As the officer was taking them to hospital the vehicle left the road and hit a bush on Standard Hill, Ninfield.
Two helicopters went to the scene of the second crash but the man had died.
The first accident happened just before 1430 GMT when the man, who was driving a mini, was in collision with the highways vehicle on the A271 Boreham Street, near Herstmonceux.
A police officer then drove the ambulance as two paramedics tried to treat the men who had suffered life-threatening injuries.
Twenty minutes later the vehicle crashed into a bush in poor weather. An ambulance crew member was later treated in hospital for minor injuries.
The Sussex Police helicopter and the Kent Air Ambulance attended the scene of the second accident but the man, from Horam, was pronounced dead.
A police spokesman said it was normal practice for police officers to take the wheel of an ambulance in a medical emergency.
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Ashcroft, of Sussex Police, said: “This is a complex series of interlinked events, which happened during adverse weather conditions.
“A detailed investigation involving forensic collision investigators is continuing against a backdrop of worsening weather.”
Sussex Police subsequently contacted the Independent Police Complaints Commission who are expected to decide on Monday whether to investigate.
A 36-year-old man who was driving the highways vehicle was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and remains in custody.
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