THE independent Police Complaints Authority has been called in to supervise an investigation into a single vehicle crash in which a 21-year-old man was killed.

The crash happened on the A612 at the Scarthingwell crossroads, North Yorkshire, at 11pm on Thursday.

A blue Subaru Impreza carrying three men was travelling from Sherburn-in-Elmet, towards Tadcaster, and it is understood the accident took place as the car was on a bend.

The vehicle turned over several times and the three inside are believed to have been thrown from the vehicle.

Mark William Beal, from South Milford, died four hours later in Pontefract General Infirmary. One of the other men was seriously hurt and taken to hospital in York. The third suffered minor injuries.

The authority said details of the four-by-four vehicle had been circulated to police and officers were looking for it. A spokesman said it did not yet know how the crash happened.

North Yorkshire Police voluntarily called in the authority to oversee police investigations into the crash.

North Yorkshire Deputy Coroner Geoff Fell has been informed and is expected to open an inquest this week.

Police declined to say if the car had been stolen or if it had been in a chase before the accident.

Any witnesses or anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on (01904) 631321.