Videos have emerged from social media accounts that appear to show one of the men killed in the A66 crash driving recklessly. Footage from TikTok shows one of the men who died in the horror crash that also killed two police officers filming himself driving recklessly in recent months.
The video, posted in May, appears to show 23-year-old Jacob Matusiak behind the wheel with the caption: 'Unfortunately I'm not a nonchalant boyfriend'. The clip appears to be filmed by the driver and shows a car zooming through a neighbourhood in broad daylight, before swerving onto a green in the middle of an estate.
Seven killed in head-on collision
Mr Matusiak was one of seven who died in the early hours of Saturday when a car travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough crashed head-on with a vehicle carrying two police officers. The two officers and the five men in the VW Passat were declared dead at the scene of the incident.
The group of young men in the car have been named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18. The two police officers who died in the collision have been named as PC Matthew Blades, 37, and his colleague Tom Clough, 38.
Pursuit details emerge
The force had been pursuing the Passat following reports of "numerous incidents" linked to it. Footage from one of the police vehicles showed the pursuit to last just under seven minutes before the Passat travelled on to the wrong side of the A66, at which point officers "aborted" it, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
Ring doorbell footage at 3.36am shows the VW Passat zooming through Lime Road in Middlesbrough. Just three minutes after the pursuit was caught on camera, at 3.39am, the car smashed into another armed-response vehicle, which was on the correct side of the A66.
Videos posted on a TikTok account believed to belong to Makai Saddington in March 2025 showed him and four others involved in what appears to be a police chase. The video shows the vehicles steering across a field and has since been deleted.
Tributes and fundraising
Tributes have been paid to the two police officers who died in the collision. The pair have been praised for their bravery after being killed in the line of duty as their 'heartbroken' family have shared their devastation at the news.
PC Clough's family paid an emotional tribute to the 'hero' officer on Sunday. 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 said 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 added: "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 £100,000.
Community tributes and investigation
Following the A66 collision, family and friends of the youngsters have paid tribute to them. The sister of Mr Matusiak said her heart was "broken" describing her brother as her "best friend always and forever". Mr Cahill was described as a "lovely, down to earth lad" and Mr Rae was said to have a "heart of gold" being described as someone who would have "done anything for anyone".
Balloon releases have been announced in their memory, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at different locations including in 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 section of the A66 remains closed as repairs are carried out, it is expected to reopen on Monday. Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said it was important to let the IOPC do 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.
