Two Officers Die in A66 Collision Involving Wrong-Way Driver
Fatal crash near Middlesbrough claims lives of PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades; investigation launched into circumstances.
Callum Smith
Two Cleveland Police officers died in a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough.
Cleveland Police initiated a pursuit after a Volkswagen Passat exhibited suspicious behavior; the two officers killed were reportedly not part of that initial chase.
Flags now fly at half-mast at Cleveland Police's Middlesbrough headquarters following the incident, which forced the closure of the A66 in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston.
Lauren Somerville articulated the profound grief, stating, "Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today," and called it "unfathomable" that colleagues would not return home.
Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today.
Victoria Fuller remarked, "These were brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift."
Ben Houchen commented, "Our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us, and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident."
Anna Turley paid tribute to PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, stating, "They went to work to keep people safe, and they should have come home to their families."
She acknowledged their bravery and recognized that "we’ve lost seven lives tragically and the whole community is obviously in shock and devastation."
Makai Saddington, one of the teenagers killed in the crash, had reportedly posted a string of TikTok videos appearing to show him taking part in high-speed police chases.
Mr. Saddington, 18, posted videos on TikTok of him being chased by police in recent months; one video from the last month reportedly showed him driving through a park while officers pursued him.
He also reportedly posted videos on his TikTok account of men in balaclavas driving cars at speed.
Mr. Saddington and his companions had close links to the traveler community, it is understood; Cleveland Police confirmed that officers are supporting the families of the five people who were traveling in the Volkswagen Passat.
The A66 crash raises fears of a potential copycat tragedy, drawing parallels to a deadly TikTok craze that reportedly claimed the lives of five teenagers in a head-on motorway smash in the Irish Republic last week.
That incident involved a stolen BMW traveling the wrong way down the M9 motorway; the youngsters were reportedly all wearing balaclavas.