A66 crash near Middlesbrough: five more arrests as total reaches 17

Five further arrests have been made in connection with the A66 crash that killed two police officers and five men in a Volkswagen Passat. The total number of arrests now stands at 17.

Five more held over fatal A66 collision that killed two officers and five others

Five additional people have been arrested in connection with the A66 crash near Middlesbrough that claimed seven lives, bringing the total number of arrests to 17, the Daily Express reports.

Cleveland Police confirmed the latest arrests on Tuesday, carried out with assistance from the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit. Those detained include a 16-year-old boy, an 18-year-old, and a 21-year-old man — all on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group — along with a 55-year-old on suspicion of assisting an offender and a 23-year-old on suspicion of making threats to kill.

The fatal collision occurred in the early hours of Saturday at South Bank, when a Volkswagen Passat being pursued by police was driven the wrong way along the dual carriageway and struck a marked armed response vehicle. PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the impact. The five occupants of the Passat — Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jacob Matusiak, 23 — were all pronounced dead at the scene.

Two from earlier arrests appear in court

Of the 12 people previously arrested, two have already appeared before the courts. Kai Beattie, 19, of Foxrush Court, Redcar, appeared before Teesside Magistrates' Court charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Cameron George, 26, of Micklow Close, Redcar, was remanded in custody to appear at Teesside Crown Court on 21 September, charged with drugs offences and possession of criminal property.

Inquests are due to open on Thursday morning for the two officers, with hearings for the five men in the Passat scheduled for the afternoon at the same court.

Links to organised crime and cloned plates

Police have previously stated that four of the five men in the Passat had prior criminal convictions and were believed to be associated with a second vehicle — a Volvo XC60 — which had been seen ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area earlier that morning. Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates but were identified through automated number plate recognition technology. The Volvo has since been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough.

Cleveland Police said it had received several reports of dangerous driving before the collision. The Passat is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo. Police added there was no evidence that filming of events that night was carried out "for the purposes of TikTok".

Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, leading the strategic oversight of the investigation, said: "This has been a fast-moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity. 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."

Cleveland Police launched the pursuit after receiving intelligence relating to "numerous incidents" linked to the Passat, which had triggered an ANPR camera. PC Blades and PC Clough were not part of the original chase but had been called to the area to assist in locating the vehicle.

Tributes and fundraising

More than £750,000 has been raised for the families of the two officers. A fundraiser set up by the Cleveland Police Federation stated that funds would be split equally between both families, with the federation continuing to provide ongoing support.

Family members described PC Clough, a former Civil Nuclear Constabulary officer, as "our hero" who was "always on public duty". In a statement issued through Cleveland Police, PC Blades' wife called him "my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys".

Tributes for the five men in the Passat also circulated on social media, with friends describing themselves as "heartbroken" and "lost for words". Balloon releases have been organised at various locations in their memory.

Concerns over social media and police safety

Paul Williams, acting deputy national chairman for the Police Federation of England and Wales, told BBC Breakfast that the incident reflected a broader pattern of dangerous behaviour directed at officers. "Every day we can identify now numerous examples of young people sensationalising dangerous driving," he said. "Not just dangerous driving, but baiting police officers who are out there to protect the public."

Williams described the situation as "a real problem", adding that officers should not have to worry about whether they will return home from their shift — nor about being filmed and shared across social media platforms. "It's absolutely unacceptable, and social media platforms need to take some action," he said.

Source: Daily Express