Police have launched a critical incident investigation into a single vehicle crash which claimed the life of a 60-year-old man at Cessnock.
Officers were making inquiries to locate the man when they spotted him driving a Nissan Navara on Richmond Vale Road at about midday yesterday.
However, he drive off at high speed when he saw them and crashed into a tree and died at the scene.
Officers from the Newcastle Police District have been appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and are appealing for anyone who can assist their investigation to come forward.
