Seventeen arrested over fatal A66 crash that killed two Middlesbrough police officers
Five more people have been arrested in connection with the A66 crash near Middlesbrough that killed two officers and five young men, bringing total arrests to 17.
Seventeen arrests after fatal A66 crash kills two officers and five young men
Five more people have been arrested by detectives investigating the A66 crash near Middlesbrough that killed two police officers and five young men, The Independent reports — bringing the total number of arrests to 17.
The latest five were detained on Tuesday with assistance from the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit. They include a 16-year-old boy, an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old, all on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group; a 23-year-old on suspicion of making threats to kill; and a 55-year-old on suspicion of assisting an offender.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the early hours of Saturday when a Volkswagen Passat, which had been pursued by police, was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway and struck their marked armed-response vehicle.
The five young men in the Passat — Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jacob Matusiak, 23 — also died in the collision.
Twelve people had been arrested on Monday in connection with the crash. Four of those are accused of possessing Class A and B drugs with intent to supply. Two have already appeared before 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.
Detectives believe the five men in the Passat had links to "serious and organised criminal activity". Four of the five had criminal convictions and were believed to be linked with a second car — thought to be a Volvo XC60 — that had rammed properties in the Middlesbrough area earlier that morning.
Cleveland Police said both vehicles were carrying cloned number plates but were identified through automated number-plate-recognition technology. The Volvo was subsequently found in Middlesbrough.
Cleveland Police launched the pursuit after receiving intelligence relating to "numerous incidents" linked to the Passat, which had activated 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 the search for the vehicle, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said.
Inquests are due to open on Thursday morning for the two officers. Inquests for the five occupants of the Passat are scheduled for the afternoon at Teesside Magistrates' Court.
Police said there was no evidence that the activities on Friday night and Saturday morning were filmed "for the purposes of TikTok". The force received reports of two cars being driven dangerously ahead of the collision.
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, of Cleveland Police, said the inquiry had significant scope. "This has been a fast-moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity," he said. "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."
Family members described PC Clough, a former Civil Nuclear Constabulary officer, as "our hero" who was "always on public duty". PC Blades's wife called him "my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys".
More than £750,000 has been raised for the families of the two officers through a fundraiser created by the Cleveland Police Federation. The funds will be split equally between the two families, with the federation continuing to provide support.
Tributes to the five young men were shared widely on social media. An estimated 200 people gathered on Tuesday to release balloons in their memory, though the event drew anger from commenters who said balloons are harmful to wildlife. Young people in masks reportedly attended on scooters, off-road bikes and quad bikes, while boys on bikes carried orange and red flares.
Paul Williams, acting deputy national chairman for the Police Federation of England and Wales, said the wider pattern of dangerous driving was a serious concern for 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 called on social media platforms to take action, saying officers should not have to worry about whether they would return home from their shift — or whether footage of them would be shared online. "It's absolutely unacceptable," he said.
Source: The Independent