Two police officers and five civilians died in a high-speed collision on the A66 in Teesside early Saturday morning following a police pursuit. The incident occurred around 3:40 a.m. when a Volkswagen Passat traveling in the wrong direction collided head-on with a marked police car near South Bank, Middlesbrough.
Video footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows the Volkswagen Passat speeding down Lime Road in Teesville at approximately 3:36 a.m., followed moments later by two police cars with lights and sirens activated. This pursuit began about a mile from the crash site. The police car involved in the fatal collision was reportedly heading in the correct direction on the A66 and was not part of the initial pursuit.
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller identified the deceased officers as PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38. "This is an incredibly sad day for Cleveland," Fuller stated at a press conference. "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."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, as is mandatory following such incidents. Investigators have been dispatched to the scene to review evidence.
Local residents reported being woken by the sound of high-speed police vehicles. Neil Hutchinson, 47, described hearing "police cars tearing down the street at 3.30am with lights flashing and their sirens going." He noted that multiple police cars passed his home at high speed, suggesting a serious situation.
The A66 remains closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane, a major artery through Teesside. Emergency services, including multiple ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a hazardous area response team, and a doctor, responded to the scene. North East Ambulance Service dispatched 14 units.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood both expressed their devastation over the incident. "My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of everyone involved, and with everyone at Cleveland Police," Burnham posted on X. Mahmood added, "Police officers put their own safety on the line to protect their communities every single day."
This crash occurred days after five young men died in a separate head-on collision on the M9 motorway in County Kildare, Ireland, while traveling the wrong way in a stolen vehicle.