Twelve folks arrested over A66 crash investigation after 2 cops and 5 teenagers killed
Police investigating the lead-up to a horror crash that saw two police officers, three teens and two men killed has now arrested 12 people, the force has confirmed
Twelve people aged between 19 and 61, have been arrested by officers investigating the events leading up to the crash on the A66 which left Pc Matthew Blades and Pc Tom Clough dead, Cleveland Police have confirmed.
The arrests, which have seen nine men and three women arrested, are over the A66 investigation and are suspected of “participating in the activities of an organised crime group”. The force added that four of those killed in the car which hit the police vehicle had previous police convictions.
Pc Blades, 37, and Pc Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat – which had been pursued by police – was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway and hit their marked armed response vehicle.
Flowers at the Cleveland Police HQ Memorial Garden in Middlesbrough, following the deaths of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak were also pronounced dead at the scene in Teesside early on Saturday (August 22).
As part of the investigation, Cleveland Police have said they received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously. The first vehicle, which is believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed to be ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.
Makai Saddington is one of the teens killed in the horror crash
The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo XC60.
Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection but were picked up by the Force’s automated number plate recognition technology.
The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough as part of the criminal investigation.
PC Matthew Blades is one of the two police officers killed in the crash(Image: Cleveland Police/PA Wire)
Those enquires have resulted in the arrests of 12 people across Teesside. Four of the five people in the Passat, including three teenagers, had previous police convictions.
A spokesperson for Cleveland Police added: “At the current time, there is no evidence to indicate that filming of the activities that took place on Friday night and Saturday morning has taken place for the purposes of TikTok. Four of the occupants of the Passat had previous police convictions.”
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, responsible for the strategic leadership of the investigation, said: “This has been a fast moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity.
Police officers at the scene of a fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen Passat(Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
“The events of that tragic night will have a lasting and profound impact on the Cleveland area and the communities we seek to protect.
“We have a duty to respond to, and thoroughly investigate, the serious criminal activity that resulted in this fatal incident, and to bring all those responsible to justice.
“Our robust response will continue in the weeks and months to come, as we continue to tackle those that seek to cause harm to our communities and tackle serious and organised crime.’
“Officers and staff across Cleveland have shown incredible resilience in continuing their work in the face of tragedy.
“Two of their colleagues lost their lives while serving the people of Cleveland and, while the impact will be felt by our people for a long time to come, they have continued to act with the upmost professionalism.
“I am also extremely grateful for the support we have received, and continue to receive, from the public of Cleveland and our wider police family.”
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