The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has released new details about the fatal two-vehicle collision on the A66 in South Bank, Middlesbrough, which killed seven people, including two police officers. The crash occurred in the early hours of Saturday, August 22.
Cleveland Police officers PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in the incident. Five people who were in a Volkswagen Passat also lost their lives. They have been named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18. Police say family liaison officers are continuing to work with the families of all those who died.
IOPC investigation findings
The IOPC, which is investigating the collision following a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police, declared an independent inquiry on Saturday morning and sent investigators to the scene. In a statement, the IOPC said: "Our initial enquiries have established Cleveland Police received intelligence regarding numerous incidents that were linked to a Volkswagen Passat. The Passat, which contained five male occupants, was later sighted and an armed response vehicle began a pursuit of the vehicle.
"Analysis of the police vehicle in car footage shows the pursuit lasted just under seven minutes before the Passat travelled onto the A66 in South Bank, against the flow of traffic, at which point the pursuit was aborted by officers and they continued to travel on the correct side of the carriageway. A short time after the pursuit ended, approximately 10 seconds later, the Passat collided with another police vehicle which was not involved in the pursuit but in the area to assist in a search for the Passat believed to be using cloned plates that had activated an ANPR camera."
Confirmed deaths and tributes
The IOPC confirmed that following the collision at 3.39am, seven people died, including the two officers and the five Passat occupants. IOPC Director of Engagement Derrick Campbell said: "Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends and all those affected by yesterday’s collision. We recognise the devastating impact the incident has had on those in the force, and the wider policing community, and offer our condolences.
"We have obtained initial accounts of officers involved in the pursuit, the incident log and in car footage of the incident. Work is ongoing to obtain additional material. IOPC investigators will continue to review and analyse all the evidence that is available to us. We will not be providing any further comment at this time."
Numerous tributes have been paid to those who lost their lives, with flowers and balloons left at the scene of the crash.
