An investigation has been launched into a crash on the A66 in Teesside which killed several people following a police pursuit in the early hours of Saturday morning. The two-vehicle crash, involving a Volkswagen Passat and a police vehicle, took place on the A66 in South Bank at around 3.39am on August 22.
Police pursuit and collision
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has released a statement following the collision and is investigating the circumstances of the crash. The IOPC said that, at this early stage, it is understood Cleveland Police saw a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began. The car travelled onto the A66 in South Bank and collided with a police car at 3.39am, resulting in the deaths of multiple people.
Following a mandatory referral from the force, the IOPC declared an independent investigation at 6.03am. 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.”
Emergency response
“Our investigation is in the very early stages, we have sent investigators to the post incident procedures to begin reviewing evidence. When someone dies following police contact, it is mandatory that the matter is referred to the IOPC. Our role is to establish and examine the circumstances of what happened; this work is already underway, and Cleveland Police is cooperating with our enquiries. We will provide a further update when we are in a position to do so.”
Following the crash, a Cleveland Police spokesperson said: "Around 3:39am this morning, a collision took place involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank. Sadly, the collision has resulted in multiple fatalities. There are significant emergency vehicles on the scene, and the road will remain closed for some time. The public are asked to use alternative routes. 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."
MP's response
The North East Ambulance Service was also called to the scene. A spokesperson said: “We were called to a serious road traffic incident involving two vehicles on the A66 at South Bank at 3.39am on 22 August. We sent 14 ambulance resources at the scene, including emergency ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, our Hazardous Area Response Team and a doctor from Great North Air Ambulance Service. 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.”
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.”
