Several people have died in a car crash following a police chase in the early hours of Saturday morning. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the circumstances leading up to a fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough.
Pursuit and collision
Officers from Cleveland Police spotted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began before the car travelled onto the A66 and collided with a police car at 3.39am, the watchdog said. An investigation was opened just after 6am on Saturday following a mandatory referral from the force, the watchdog said.
The A66 is closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston. There is a significant emergency response at the scene and people should use alternative routes as the road “will remain closed for some time”, Cleveland Police said.
Emergency response
North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said it had been called to a two-vehicle crash and sent 14 units to the scene including ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a hazardous area response team and a doctor from Great North Air Ambulance Service.
A spokesperson for NEAS said: “Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone attending, a number of patients died at the scene. We send condolences to all of those affected by such a tragic event and thank everyone for all they did to help.”
Investigations and tributes
A Cleveland Police spokesperson previously said: “We are working to identify the victims and contact their families. This is a quickly-evolving incident and we ask that members of the public respectfully avoid speculation.”
IOPC director of investigations Nicola Marfleet said: “This is a tragic incident, and my thoughts are with family and friends and all those affected, including the emergency services in attendance.” She added investigators have been sent to start reviewing evidence, and the watchdog is cooperating with Cleveland Police to establish the circumstances of the collision.
Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the crash happened, said: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the fatal collision on the A66 this morning. My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives, and with everyone affected by this terrible incident. Thank you to all of our emergency services, who have worked through the night responding to this devastating incident.” She added: “We would ask everyone to avoid speculating online to respect the families and the police while they do their work at this terrible time.”
