Key facts
- The IOPC is investigating a crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough that killed two police officers and five young men.
- The crash occurred on August 22.
- Police pursuit of a Volkswagen Passat began at 3:33 a.m.
- The Passat entered the A66 against the flow of traffic at 3:39 a.m.
- The pursuing police vehicle did not follow the Passat onto the wrong carriageway.
- The IOPC found no evidence of 'tactical contact' or stinger use by police before the collision.
An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has found no evidence that police used 'tactical contact' or a stinger device before a head-on collision on the A66 that killed seven people. The incident occurred on August 22 near Middlesbrough.
The collision involved a Volkswagen Passat traveling the wrong way down the dual carriageway and a marked police car. Two police officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in the crash. Five young men in the Passat – Jakub Matusiak, 23; Cole Worthy, 17; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; and Michael Cahill, 23 – were also pronounced dead at the scene.
The IOPC confirmed that the pursuit by Cleveland Police officers began at 3:33 a.m. Analysis of in-car footage showed that six minutes later, at 3:39 a.m., the driver of the Passat slowed and braked heavily before turning onto the A66 against the flow of traffic. The pursuing police car did not follow the Passat onto the wrong carriageway; instead, its blue lights were turned off, and the officers followed on the correct carriageway. Approximately 17 seconds later, the Passat collided with another police vehicle that was traveling on the correct carriageway.
IOPC director of engagement Emily Barry extended sympathies to the families involved and stated that the investigation is focused on establishing the full circumstances leading up to the incident. The officers involved are currently being treated as witnesses. Barry reassured the public that there is no suggestion the collision resulted from direct police contact or that a stinger was used. The investigation is expected to take months due to the volume of information and expert reports required.