A family member of one of the five young men who died after their vehicle hit a police car on a dual carriageway has said the family “wants answers”.
A cousin of Jakub Matusiak, one of the five young men who died in the collision in Teesside after their vehicle was in a police chase, admitted Jakub was “no saint”.
Seven people were killed in the crash, including two police officers, when a Volkswagen Passat – which had been pursued by police – was driven the wrong way along the A66 dual carriageway near Middlesbrough and collided with a marked armed response vehicle early on Saturday.
Victims named in fatal collision
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed as well as the five people travelling in the Volkswagen – Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jakub Matusiak.
Jakub Matusiak’s cousin told Sky News: "We are just devastated for everyone involved."
"If he was at fault, he was at fault, but they need to give us the full picture.
"He was no saint and has been involved in stuff before - we know that - but we cannot believe this has happened."
"We all want answers - we were told the chase should have been called off earlier."
Police probe links to organised crime
The news comes as police have said the five young men who died in the A66 crash may have had links to “serious and organised criminal activity”. Cleveland Police said 12 other people have been arrested over alleged criminality leading up to the collision. These included four people arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and four on suspicion of possessing a firearm.
Four of the suspects are also accused of possessing Class A and B drugs with intent to supply. Four of the five young men in the car had previous criminal convictions, and were believed to be associated with another car which was seen ramming properties earlier that morning.
Police said nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, have been arrested after an investigation over the weekend into alleged criminal activity before the crash. The force said on the morning of the collision, it received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously.
Investigation continues
The first vehicle, believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. The Volkswagen Passat is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo.
Police said both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates but were picked up by automated number plate recognition technology. The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough.
Police said there was no evidence that filming of the activities on Friday night and Saturday morning was “for the purposes of TikTok”.
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, responsible for the strategic leadership of the investigation, said: “This has been a fast-moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity.”
He went on to say: “We have a duty to respond to, and thoroughly investigate, the serious criminal activity that resulted in this fatal incident, and to bring all those responsible to justice.”
The Mirror has contacted Cleveland Police for a comment.
