Seven Dead Following Tragic Collision on A66: Police Watchdog Confirms Pursuit Was Aborted Before Crash
A grieving community is mourning the loss of seven lives following a catastrophic collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough, as investigators reveal that police had terminated a high-speed pursuit mere seconds before the tragedy occurred.
The incident, which took place in the early hours of Saturday morning at South Bank, Teesside, claimed the lives of five young men traveling in a Volkswagen Passat and two Cleveland Police officers who were responding to the area.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. According to the watchdog, the Passat—which was believed to be using cloned license plates—had been tracked by an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera.
A Pursuit Cut Short
Cleveland Police had been monitoring the Passat in connection with multiple prior incidents. An armed response vehicle initiated a pursuit that lasted just under seven minutes. The situation turned lethal when the Passat turned onto the A66, driving against the flow of traffic on the wrong side of the dual carriageway.
In line with safety protocols, police officers aborted the chase and remained on the correct side of the road. Tragically, approximately 10 seconds after the pursuit was called off, the Passat collided head-on with a marked armed response vehicle carrying Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38. Both officers, who were not involved in the initial pursuit but had been assisting in the search, were killed instantly.
The five occupants of the Passat—Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak—were also pronounced dead at the scene.
A Community in Mourning
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the region. As tributes flood social media, friends and family of the five young men have expressed their heartbreak, describing them as “kind-hearted” and “loyal.” Plans for multiple balloon releases and a silent prayer vigil at St John the Evangelist Church in South Bank have been announced as the community attempts to process the sudden loss.
For the families of the two officers, the pain is compounded by the loss of two highly regarded public servants and family men. Pc Matthew Blades, a husband and father of two, was remembered by local football clubs as a dedicated coach and mentor. “He was a role model, a mentor, a friend, and someone the children looked up to and admired,” read a statement from FC Hartlepool.
Similarly, colleagues and friends of Pc Tom Clough have paid tribute to him as a “fantastic soldier” and an exemplary officer.
Ongoing Investigation
IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell expressed his condolences to all affected by the “devastating” incident. “We have obtained initial accounts of officers involved in the pursuit, the incident log and in-car footage of the incident,” Campbell stated. “Work is ongoing to obtain additional material.”
Local leaders, including Redcar MP Anna Turley and Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey, have highlighted the “tight-knit” nature of the Cleveland force, noting that the impact of the tragedy will be felt deeply across the entire policing community and the wider Teesside area.
