Seven Killed in Fatal Collision Between Police Vehicle and Wrong Way Driver on A66

Seven people died in a head on collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday morning. The victims include two police officers and five young men. The crash occurred at 3:39 am when a Volkswagen Passat, believed to be using cloned number plates, traveled against the flow of traffic and collided with a marked armed response vehicle. The police car was traveling in the correct direction and was not part of the pursuit that had preceded the crash.

Cleveland Police had been pursuing the Volkswagen Passat for just under seven minutes after the vehicle was spotted acting suspiciously. According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the pursuit was aborted once the Passat entered the A66 going the wrong way. Approximately 10 seconds later, the collision occurred. The armed response vehicle had been in the area to assist in the search after the Passat triggered an ANPR camera.

The police officers were identified as PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38. The occupants of the Volkswagen were identified as Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 16 or 17, and Jakub Matusiak, 23. All seven individuals were pronounced dead at the scene. Doorbell footage from nearby Lime Road captured police vehicles chasing a car at speed three minutes before the impact.

Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described the officers as brave, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham expressed that he was devastated by the loss of life. The IOPC has launched an investigation into the incident following a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police. The A66 was closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston to allow investigators to examine the wreckage.