One of the five individuals killed in a wrong-way collision on the A66, which also claimed the lives of two police constables, had been facing charges of racially abusing and assaulting officers. Makai Saddington, 18, was awaiting trial for allegedly assaulting a sergeant and causing racially aggravated alarm or distress to another officer. He was one of five men in a VW Passat that traveled the wrong way down the dual carriageway near Middlesborough before colliding head-on with police constables.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in the crash alongside Saddington, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, and Jacob Matusiak, 23. The group had been fleeing from police when they entered the A66 from the wrong direction. The police pursuit had been terminated approximately ten seconds before the collision.
Saddington, who was of no fixed address, had reportedly posted several video clips in the months leading up to his death that appeared to show him involved in other police chases. One video shared in May depicted Saddington being driven at high speed through a housing estate with police car blue lights visible in pursuit.
Another video associated with Saddington’s accounts showed a green Nissan being driven before being set alight, while other images showed him and a friend posing in cars while wearing black balaclavas. These incidents have been linked to a trend on TikTok where individuals film themselves driving dangerously to provoke police chases for online content.
In a separate but similar incident just six days prior, five teenagers died in a head-on collision on the M9 motorway in County Kildare, Ireland, while driving the wrong way and being pursued by police. The individuals in that crash were in a stolen BMW and were reportedly attempting to evade a stinger device by driving against traffic.
Families of the deceased officers have shared tributes. PC Clough's family described him as a hero with a fantastic sense of humor, always willing to help. PC Blades' widow remembered him as her beloved husband, best friend, and devoted father to their two sons, stating his loss has left an unfillable void. The Cleveland Police Federation noted that both officers made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. A GoFundMe appeal established by the Cleveland Police Federation to support the officers' families had raised over £100,000 by Sunday night. Earlier footage has emerged showing some of the young men involved in dangerous driving incidents, including one clip from May appearing to show Jacob Matusiak driving a car recklessly through a neighborhood, swerving onto a green space and down a footpath. The driver in the clip is seen casually spinning the steering wheel with one hand.