Two police officers died alongside five teenagers and young men on Saturday morning when a Volkswagen Passat traveling the wrong way on the A66 dual carriageway collided with their marked armed response vehicle in Teesside, sparking an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The Fatal Collision and Police Pursuit on the A66
The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of Saturday near Middlesbrough, when a Volkswagen Passat carrying five occupants crashed into a marked armed response vehicle. According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Cleveland Police had launched a pursuit after intelligence linked the Passat to numerous incidents and noted that its plates had activated an automatic number plate recognition camera while suspected of being cloned.
The armed response vehicle pursued the Volkswagen for just under seven minutes before the vehicle drove onto the A66 in South Bank against the flow of traffic. Police aborted the chase and continued traveling on the correct side of the carriageway. Approximately 10 seconds after the pursuit ceased, the Passat collided with an oncoming police vehicle carrying PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37. The watchdog confirmed that neither officer was involved in the original pursuit, but both had been called to the area to assist with the search.
All seven individuals involved in the crash—the two officers and the five vehicle occupants—died at the scene.
Victims Named as Communities and Families Pay Tribute
Police formally named the five young males traveling in the Volkswagen as Cole Robert Worthy, 17; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; along with 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jakub Matusiak. Friends and family members shared emotional tributes on social media, remembering the teenagers and young men as loyal, caring, and well-liked by those who knew them.
Meanwhile, the families of PC Clough and PC Blades released heartbreaking statements through Cleveland Police.
PC Blades’ wife described her husband as her best friend and a devoted father to their two young boys. He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness,
she said in her statement. Community organizations also mourned his passing; PC Blades recently joined Seaton Carew FC as a coach for its under-sevens Seahawks squad and coached the under-10s Reds team at FC Hartlepool, where colleagues described him as a role model, mentor, and friend.
Watchdog Investigation and Community Response
The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed it launched an investigation into the collision. Derrick Campbell, IOPC director of engagement, stated that investigators have obtained initial accounts from the officers involved in the pursuit, along with the incident log and in-car footage, while work continues to gather additional material.
In the wake of the crash, fundraisers organized by the Cleveland Police Federation to support the families of PC Clough and PC Blades drew substantial public backing. Donations across crowdfunding campaigns surpassed £160,000 by Sunday evening, with organizers planning to split the funds equally to help the families navigate their traumatic loss.
