Moment hairdresser mother, 34, drives her Mercedes through a red light and causes a police car to crash into her and burst into flames

By OLIVIA DAY, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA Published: 16:53, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 16:54, 13 July 2026 This is the shocking moment a single mother ran a red light before ploughing into a police car, leaving the vehicle engulfed in flames.  Dramatic CCTV footage captured the moment Stacie Wright's white Mercedes-Benz A-Class slammed into a marked police car after she drove through a red light at a junction in Birkenhead, Merseyside about 11.15pm on November 12.  The impact sparked a fire in the front of the police car, while the officer behind the wheel suffered injuries and was left traumatised by the crash.  Wright, 35, a hairdresser from Rock Ferry in Merseyside, has now been handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.  Liverpool Crown Court heard Wright drove into the junction despite the traffic lights having been red for as long as eight seconds. At the same time, a marked police car travelling along Watson Street was proceeding through a green light with its blue lights flashing. Footage played to the court showed Wright beginning a right-hand turn directly into the path of the police car before the vehicles collided. Flames erupted from the bonnet of the police car seconds after the collision This is the moment Wright's Mercedes A-Class collided with a marked police car She was handed an eight-month prison sentence over the crash, suspended for 12 months Flames immediately began to erupt from the bonnet of the police car Prosecutor Nathan Cooper said: 'I think that footage amply illustrates what occurred.' The police car, valued at around £15,000, was destroyed in the crash and written off. A further £2,500 was incurred in salvage costs. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Constable Paul Thompson described the physical and emotional toll the crash had taken on him. He said: 'I suffered cuts to my face and bruising, as well as tinnitus and pain to my ribs which took two months to heal. 'I'm struggling to sleep as I cannot get comfortable due to my injuries, causing difficulties with my relationship. 'The fact my vehicle was actually on fire was terrifying. Such is the burden on me to put others first, my first thought was to get out and check on the driver. 'Had I been going one or two miles per hour faster, I could have killed someone. 'How close I was to losing everything due to the actions of someone else. Wright's Mercedes is seen skidding to the side from the impact of the collision Wright described the crash as a momentary lapse in concentration Charles Wood, Head of the Bench, placed the offence in the most serious category 'Every time I close my eyes to go to sleep I still see the flames coming up the bonnet and the smoke filling up my lungs.' He added that his 12-year-old daughter, who has additional needs, was still affected by the incident months later after being woken in the night and told about the crash. The constable also said he had been left in extreme pain, needed time off work and missed training opportunities, resulting in financial difficulties. Defending Wright, Mr Hunt said the hairdresser was a hardworking single mother who was genuinely remorseful.  He said she had described the collision as a momentary lapse in concentration.  Charles Wood, Head of the Bench, said the CCTV footage placed the offence in the most serious category under sentencing guidelines. He said: 'The CCTV footage is very clear, and having seen it we determine this is a category A1 offence, the most serious offence. 'The traffic light you went through was red for a significant period of time, as much as eight seconds. 'Nine times out of ten this wouldn't happen, but it's precisely because of the possible consequences that we have such things in place. As well as the suspended eight-month jail term, Wright was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £272 in costs. No compensation was ordered for Merseyside Police or Constable Thompson as those are covered by insurance and would constitute a civil matter.