An uncle of one of the victims in a recent fatal crash on the A66 was previously jailed for driving on the wrong side of the same road at high speed during a police chase. Aaron Saddington, 23, received a 20-month sentence in June for dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance after colliding with oncoming vehicles near Middlesbrough.
His nephew, Makai Saddington, 18, was among the seven people who died in the A66 collision. The crash also claimed the lives of four of his friends and two police officers. The incident involved a stolen VW Passat and occurred in the early hours of Saturday.
According to reports, the chase may have been initiated by a rival gang. Evidence suggests a Volvo XC60 rammed the home of Cole Worthy, 17, one of the occupants of the Passat, approximately 40 minutes before the fatal collision. The Volvo reportedly reversed into the front window of the home twice.
Shortly after the attack on his father's house, Cole Worthy and four friends were in the VW Passat, reportedly in pursuit of the Volvo. This Passat was later spotted by a police patrol, leading to the crash that killed PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37.
The five occupants of the stolen car – Cole Worthy, Makai Saddington, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, and Michael Cahill, 23 – also died in the collision. Authorities believe the occupants of the Volvo and the Passat were part of rival gangs operating within an organized criminal network across Teesside.
Cleveland Police have arrested multiple individuals in connection with the events. As of Tuesday, a total of 17 people had been detained. Recent arrests include a 16-year-old boy and four men aged 18, 21, 23, and 55, on suspicion of various offenses including participating in an organized crime group, assisting an offender, and threats to kill. Previous detentions involved suspects on suspicion of organized crime, firearm possession, and drug offenses.
Two of the previously detained suspects have appeared in court. Kai Beattie, 19, was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Cameron George, 26, was remanded in custody on charges of drug offenses and possession of criminal property.
The sequence of events began around 3 a.m. when the Volvo XC60 allegedly rammed properties in the Middlesbrough area. By 3:36 a.m., the VW Passat was recorded on CCTV traveling at speeds between 80 and 100 mph, pursued by three police vehicles. At 3:39 a.m., the Passat turned the wrong way onto the A66 dual carriageway, at which point the pursuing police vehicles disengaged. Approximately ten seconds later, the Passat collided head-on with the armed response vehicle carrying PCs Clough and Blades.
Cleveland Police confirmed that both the Volvo and the VW Passat were subjects of their investigation. The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial property ramming incidents has been traced and recovered. The investigation is ongoing with support from officers from Durham, Northumbria, and North Yorkshire Police.
In a separate but related development, balaclava-clad youths reportedly set off flares and fireworks in tribute to the five young men who died. The gathering, which began as a balloon release, devolved into a display of smoke and noise, with masked youths on motorbikes and quad bikes revving engines and honking horns. Onlookers expressed anger at the display, deeming it disrespectful. This occurred in contrast to a silent prayer vigil held at a local church to honor the two fallen officers.
The Police Federation of England and Wales has highlighted concerns about young people sensationalizing dangerous driving and provoking police officers on social media. The Prime Minister's office indicated that the government would take action to address the trend of dangerous driving videos being posted online, pending a full investigation into the weekend's events. Tech companies are expected to play a role in challenging this behavior.