Family blame police for A66 unsuitable manner crash that killed 7 and say ‘you need to’ve stopped’
A family member of Jacob Matusiak, one of five men killed in a wrong-way on the A66 near Middlesbrough, has said they “want answers” and say “lives might have been saved” had the police chase been called off sooner
A family member of one of five people killed in the wrong-way crash on the A66 at the weekend has said that the police pursuit of the group had been “called off earlier lives might have been saved.”
The five people, who were travelling in the Volkswagen Passat, collided with a police car and resulted in the deaths of seven people, including two police officers.
Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak were pronounced dead at the scene, near Middlesbrough, early on Saturday (August 22).
Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed when Volkswagen was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway and hit their marked armed response vehicle.
Family of Jacob Matusiak have spoken out that they ‘want answers’(Image: supplied)
Now, the cousin of Jacob Matusiak told Sky News that the family “want answers” regarding the incident and have asked police for the “full picture”.
They said: “We are just devastated for everyone involved. If he was at fault, he was at fault, but they need to give us the full picture.
“He was no saint and has been involved in stuff before – we know that – but we cannot believe this has happened.
Scene of a fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
“We all want answers – we were told the chase should have been called off earlier. If it had been called off earlier lives might have been saved.”
Tributes for the five young men have also been shared on social media, with many of their friends saying they “can’t believe it” and were “heartbroken” and “lost for words”.
Balloon releases have been announced in their memory with one happening last night and others on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at different locations including in South Bank.
Theo Rae (left) and Cole Worthy also both died in the crash
One message, dedicated to all five, said: “We all knew use and knew use had hearts of gold and most loyalist lads.”
A card and flowers left beside the A66, close to the crash site, said: “To my Coley, I love you so much. I’m so grateful for the time we got to spend together.
“I just cannot believe I will never see you again. I hope wherever you are it is everything you have ever dreamed of. I will never ever forget you. You would of done anything for anyone.”
The Passat they were travelling in was spotted and an armed response vehicle pursued for just under seven minutes before the car drove on to the A66 in South Bank against the flow of traffic.
Police aborted the chase and continued to travel on the correct side of the carriageway.
The Passat crashed into Pc Blades and Pc Clough’s vehicle around 10 seconds after it ceased.
Police said there was no evidence that filming of the activities on Friday night and Saturday morning was “for the purposes of TikTok”.
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