A66 crash suspects had 37 convictions; 12 arrested over organised crime links

Four men who died alongside two police officers in a wrong-way A66 collision had 37 criminal convictions between them. Cleveland Police have arrested 12 people over alleged criminality linked to the crash.

Four crash victims had 37 convictions as Cleveland Police arrest 12 over organised crime links

The four men who died alongside two police officers in a head-on collision on the A66 in Teesside had accumulated 37 criminal convictions between them, The Independent reports. Cleveland Police have since arrested 12 people — nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61 — over alleged criminal activity in the lead-up to the fatal crash.

Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Jacob Matusiak, 23, were pronounced dead at the scene in South Bank early on Saturday. A fifth person killed in the collision, Michael Cahill, 23, had no previous convictions.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died when a Volkswagen Passat being pursued by police collided head-on with their patrol car. The two officers had not been involved in the original pursuit but had been called to the area to assist in locating the Passat.

Criminal histories of those who died

Between October 2023 and June 2026, the four men had pleaded guilty to 37 offences in total. Rae alone had 12 shoplifting offences between October 2023 and May 2024, along with one theft of a vehicle, three thefts from a vehicle, two counts of aggravated vehicle taking and one offence of cannabis possession. Saddington had pleaded guilty to possessing a Class C drug and a knife in a public place, four counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of racially aggravated intentional harassment. Worthy had pleaded guilty to four driving offences, using abusive language in 2024 and failing to surrender to custody in 2025. Matusiak had pleaded guilty to one count of driving without a licence and one of driving without insurance.

Saddington, Rae and Worthy had each separately pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer.

Two vehicles, cloned plates and a ramming incident

On the morning of the collision, Cleveland Police received multiple reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously. The first, believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. The second, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the Volvo's activities. Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates but were identified through automated number plate recognition technology. The Volvo XC60 has since been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough.

Police said there was no evidence that filming of activities on the Friday night and early Saturday morning was carried out "for the purposes of TikTok".

Arrests and organised crime investigation

Of the 12 people arrested, four are suspected of participating in an organised crime group and four of possessing a firearm. Four of those in custody are also accused of possessing Class A and B drugs with intent to supply.

Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, who is leading the strategic oversight of the investigation, said the inquiry had involved "significant links to serious and organised criminal activity". He added: "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."

Tributes to the officers

Flowers were laid beside the A66 close to the crash site in tribute to the two officers who died. PC Clough's family described him as "our hero" who was "always on public duty", adding that he "gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness".

PC Blades' wife, in a statement issued by Cleveland Police, called him "my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys". She described him as "an adored son and brother, a perfect son-in-law, and the most fun uncle", and said: "He was loved beyond words by all his family and friends, and his loss has left a space that can never be filled."

Source: The Independent