The accident happened on the Cologne bound carriageway. The driver of the Mercedes sports car suspected of causing the accident fled on foot immediately after the accident and a search was launched, which also involved a helicopter. The man first fled over the motorway and then through fields. Police are now asking for help from the public as a search by around 20 officers from the Rheinbach fire brigade proved fruitless.

A spokesman for Cologne police said on Sunday that several witnesses had already noticed the driver of the Mercedes sports car before the accident because of his tailgating and aggressive driving manner. As the driver approached the Peppenhoven services, he tried to undertake two cars in front of him and drove into a car and trailer from the Netherlands.

The Volvo estate and trailer had just rejoined the A61 after stopping at the services. The collision caused the trailer to hit the back of the Volvo, skid and then be ripped off the towbar. The driver of one of the two cars the Mercedes driver wanted to undertake hit the brakes to avoid colliding with the trailer and the car behind drove into him. Rheinbach’s chief fire officer, Laurenz Kreuser, said a total of seven people were taken to hospital for checks. The police spokesman said four passengers in the Volvo had been slightly injured and had all now been released from hospital.

The police do not know the identity of the person who caused the accident or whether he was injured. Police can only speculate about why he fled the accident. “It could also have been shock,” said a motorway policeman.

On Monday morning, the police still have no idea about the whereabouts of the Mercedes driver, who was driving a hire car. Anyone with information should call police on 0221 22 90.

(Original text: Axel Vogel. Translated by Kate Carey.)