Three dead and a woman in hospital after two-car crash on the Gold Coast

Three people have died and one woman is in hospital after a two-car crash south-west of the Gold Coast.

Queensland police were on patrol in Bonogin about 5pm on Friday when they say they saw a black Mercedes SUV being driven dangerously.

• Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Police flashed warning lights at the car but the driver didn’t stop. Police said they did not give chase.

Shortly after, they were alerted by a driver to a collision nearby and found the black Mercedes and a silver Mercedes hatchback had collided.

The hatchback had been forced from the road and into a power pole, which had fallen.

As police, other emergency services and bystanders responded, a fire broke out in the black Mercedes.

The driver, a 46-year-old Bonogin woman, was freed from the wreckage and hospitalised in a stable condition with an arm injury.

The three occupants of the hatchback, two women and a man, were trapped. Two were freed and given first aid.

However, all three occupants of the hatchback died at the scene.

Forensic police will investigate the collision while the force’s internal watchdog – the ethical standards command – will also look into the incident.

Witnesses and anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the crash or moments leading up to it are being urged to come forward.