Seven Killed in Wrong-Way Crash Near Middlesbrough; 17 Arrested Over Organized Crime Links
Two police officers and five car occupants died after a pursued Volkswagen Passat drove into oncoming traffic on the A66. Cleveland Police have now arrested 17 people, with organized crime links under investigation.
17 Arrested After Fatal Wrong-Way Crash Kills Two Officers and Five Others Near Middlesbrough
Cleveland Police arrested five additional suspects Tuesday in connection with a crash that killed two officers and five occupants of a fleeing vehicle early Saturday morning, bringing the total number of arrests to 17, Courthouse News Service reports.
The collision occurred on the A66 highway near Middlesbrough in northern England, when a Volkswagen Passat being pursued by police drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic and struck a marked police car head-on.
Officers Matthew Blades, 37, and Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the impact. All five occupants of the Passat also died: Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jacob Matusiak, 23.
Arrests Span Organized Crime Suspicions
The five people detained Tuesday include a 16-year-old boy, an 18-year-old man and a 21-year-old man, all on suspicion of participating in an organized crime group. A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and a 23-year-old man on suspicion of making threats to kill.
Cleveland Police said the overnight operations were conducted with support from the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Organized Crime Unit, both of which focus on serious and organized crime.
Of the 12 people arrested Monday, a 19-year-old man has been charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and appeared Tuesday at Teesside Magistrates Court. A 26-year-old man was charged with possessing Class A and Class B drugs with intent to supply, as well as possessing criminal property, and was remanded in custody until a September 21 hearing at Teesside Crown Court.
Pursuit Lasted Nearly Seven Minutes
The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which investigates serious incidents involving officers, said the pursuit of the Passat lasted almost seven minutes. Officers abandoned the chase 10 seconds before the crash, at the moment the Passat turned onto the A66 and began driving into oncoming traffic.
In the hours before the collision, police had received multiple reports of two cars being driven dangerously around Middlesbrough. A Volvo XC60, believed to be linked to the Passat, was seen ramming properties. Both vehicles were using cloned license plates to avoid detection, but were identified by the force's automated license plate recognition system. The Volvo was later traced and recovered.
Four of the five Passat occupants had a combined 37 previous convictions, covering offenses including possession of a bladed article, car theft, drug possession, racially aggravated intentional harassment and driving offenses.
'Significant Links to Organized Criminal Activity'
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, who heads the investigation, said Tuesday: "This has been a fast moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organized criminal activity."
Fox said the deaths of the two officers would have a lasting impact on the Cleveland area, and praised officers and staff for continuing to work after losing colleagues.
Those arrested Monday face a range of suspicions including participating in an organized crime group, possessing offensive weapons, possessing firearms without certificates, supplying drugs, assisting an offender, causing criminal damage and making threats to kill. Several have been released on bail while others remain in custody.
Nearly £900,000 Raised for Officers' Families
A fundraising effort for the families of Blades and Clough has raised almost £900,000 — approximately $1.2 million. The investigation is expected to continue over the coming weeks and months.
Source: Courthouse News Service