A Sussex Police clerk died and her policeman husband was seriously injured when their motorbike crashed.
Jane Bollard, 47, who worked at Newhaven police station, was the pillion passenger on the couple's Honda cruiser.
It was in collision with a transit van on the A26 at Southease, Newhaven, at 8.25am on Saturday.
Mrs Bollard was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, but died later.
Detective Constable Richard Bollard, of the force CID team in Hollingbury, Brighton, suffered multiple injuries and is critically ill in hospital.
The couple, from Peacehaven, have two sons.
Chief Constable Ken Jones sent a personal message to the family and a book of condolence has been opened at force headquarters in Lewes.
A force spokesman said: "It is a terrible tragedy. Our thoughts are with Jane's family."
The van driver, 26, from Bromley, Kent, and his passenger were uninjured.
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