TikTok footage has emerged showing one of the men who died in the devastating crash that also claimed the lives of two police officers, filming himself driving dangerously in the months prior to the tragedy.
The video, posted in May, appears to show 23-year-old Jacob Matusiak at the wheel, accompanied by the caption: 'Unfortunately I'm not a nonchalant boyfriend'.
The clip, seemingly filmed by the driver himself, shows a car speeding through a residential area in broad daylight, before veering onto a green in the middle of a housing estate. The vehicle appears to head down a path as the driver steers with the hand not holding the camera.
Seven killed in head-on collision
Mr Matusiak was among seven people who lost their lives in the early hours of Saturday, when a car travelling the wrong way along the A66 near Middlesbrough collided head-on with a vehicle carrying two police officers.
Heartfelt tributes have been paid to the two officers killed in the collision, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and his colleague Tom Clough, 38. The pair have been widely praised for their bravery after being killed in the line of duty, with their devastated families expressing their profound grief at the tragic news.
The group of young men in the car have been identified as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18.
Police pursuit lasted under seven minutes
Both officers and the five men in the VW Passat were pronounced dead at the scene. Police had been pursuing the Passat following reports of "numerous incidents" linked to the vehicle.
Police dashcam recordings revealed the chase lasted just under seven minutes before the Passat drove onto the wrong carriageway of the A66, at which point officers "aborted" their pursuit, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
A Ring doorbell captured the VW Passat speeding along Lime Road in Middlesbrough at 3.36am. Merely three minutes following the recorded pursuit, at 3.39am, the vehicle collided with a separate armed-response car travelling on the correct carriageway of the A66.
Clips uploaded to a TikTok profile thought to be associated with Makai Saddington in March 2025 appeared to show him alongside four others participating in what looked like a police pursuit. The footage depicts vehicles manoeuvring across a field and has subsequently been removed.
Tributes to officers and victims
On Sunday, PC Clough's relatives delivered a heartfelt tribute to the 'hero' officer. They said: "He was our hero with a fantastic sense of humour. Jumped into action whenever needed, and willing to help anyone for any reason. Proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place. Always on public duty throughout his short life.
"We as a family and Tom's partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community."
PC Blades' wife stated on Sunday evening "no words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt". She described him as "my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys". She continued: "He was an adored son and brother, a perfect son-in-law, and the most fun uncle. He was loved beyond words by all his family and friends, and his loss has left a space that can never be filled.
"He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness. The pain of losing him is beyond words, and our lives will never be the same. Neither will the love he gave us ever fade.
"Our children will grow up knowing what an incredible father he was and will always be, and I will carry his love, his memory and everything we shared with me always."
A GoFundMe was set up for the officers' families and has already raised more than £220,000.
Wider context and investigation
The crash occurred just a week after five teenagers lost their lives in Ireland during a head-on motorway collision. The masked teenagers were travelling the wrong way along the M9 in a stolen BMW at 2am last Sunday.
In the wake of the A66 tragedy, relatives and friends of the young victims have shared emotional tributes. Mr Matusiak's sister expressed that her heart was "broken", calling her brother her "best friend always and forever". Friends remembered Mr Cahill as a "lovely, down to earth lad", while Mr Rae was fondly recalled as having a "heart of gold", someone who would have "done anything for anyone".
Memorial balloon releases have been organised in their honour across Monday through Thursday at various spots, including South Bank. One message, dedicated to all five, said: "We all knew use and knew use had hearts of gold and most loyalist lads."
The stretch of the A66 remains shut while repair work is undertaken, with reopening anticipated on Monday.
Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey emphasised the importance of allowing the IOPC to conduct its investigation. "I would advise anybody who has opinions or hearing things on social media to make sure that misinformation doesn't spread and we let the IOPC do its work," he said.
