Old Kent Road crash: Driver found in burning car named
A man found dead in a burning car that had hit a bus stop in London might have been shot at beforehand, police say.
The driver, named as father-of-two Michael Paxman, 32, had been seen driving a black Audi RS4 on the Old Kent Road at 02:20 GMT on Sunday.
Emergency services were called to the crash seven minutes later. Mr Paxman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Holes were found in the car, the Met said. Forensics officers are trying to establish how they got there.
Det Insp Dave Reid said: "I appreciate that there is a lot of speculation that these were caused by shots being fired at the car. Until those forensic tests are complete I cannot confirm that this is the case.
"There have been numerous reports about armed men on mopeds chasing the car and multiple shots being fired, but at this stage we have found absolutely no evidence to support that as a chain of events."
A post-mortem test has not confirmed his cause of death.
Mr Paxman, who was from the Rotherhithe area, is thought to have left home in his high-performance sports car, registration KE07 HWH, to get something to eat between 12:30-01:00.
Police said he spent about an hour in the New Kent Road and Newington Causeway area of south-east London before the collision. He was heading back towards his home when the crash happened.
"Michael was driving at high speed prior to the collision," said Mr Reid.
"We are particularly keen to speak to the driver of a dark car that was travelling behind him after the traffic lights at the junction with Albany Road. That second vehicle is described as being similar to a BMW M5. That is the only other car driving near Michael, in the same direction at the critical time."
He also called for a number of people who tried to help him after the crash to get in contact.