Multiple people have died in a crash on the A66 in South Bank near Middlesbrough following a police pursuit involving a suspicious vehicle. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the incident, which happened just before 3.40am on August 22.
The collision involved a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat. There were multiple fatalities, though the exact number of deaths has not yet been confirmed. Police are working to identify those involved.
Police pursuit and IOPC investigation
Cleveland Police officers spotted a suspicious vehicle, and a pursuit began before the car travelled onto the A66 and collided with the police car. The IOPC opened an investigation just after 6am on Saturday following a mandatory referral from the force.
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. 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."
Road closure and response
The A66 remains closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston as investigations are carried out. 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." A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service 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."
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."
