Two Cleveland police officers killed in A66 crash as investigation begins
Two police officers died after a police vehicle was hit by a Volkswagen traveling the wrong way on the A66 near Middlesbrough; the incident is under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Two Cleveland Police officers, Tom Clough, 38, and Matthew Blades, 37, were killed on Saturday night when a Volkswagen Passat traveling against traffic on the A66 struck a police armed-response vehicle. The crash occurred at about 3:39 a.m. near South Bank, Middlesbrough, after the police had ended a seven-minute pursuit of the car, which was suspected of using cloned number plates.
Cleveland Police released statements from the officers’ families. Clough’s relatives described him as “a dedicated officer with a sense of humour” and said he “served the community throughout his short life.” Blades’ wife called him a “devoted father and best friend” who gave his life “in the line of duty.”
A fundraiser set up by the force to support the families of the two officers has raised more than £100,000. The crash also claimed the lives of five young men who were traveling in the Volkswagen: Makai Saddington, 18; Michael Robert Cahill, 23; Theo Rae, 17; Cole Robert Worthy, 17; and Jakub Matusiak, 23. No survivors were reported.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has opened an investigation following a mandatory referral. IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell said the agency had obtained initial accounts, incident logs and in-car footage and would continue to gather further material. The A66 remains closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane while investigators examine the scene.
Local residents reported hearing police sirens and seeing multiple police vehicles at speed shortly before the collision. The incident is being treated as a serious road safety and policing matter.