Seven dead including two police officers named after wrong-way A66 crash
Seven people, including two police officers, died in a head-on collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday 22 August 2026. The crash occurred at approximately 3:39am between the junctions with Normanby Road and Church Lane in the South Bank area.
The two officers killed have been named as PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, who were travelling in a marked Cleveland Police armed response vehicle. According to Teessidelive, a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway collided with their vehicle, which was going in the correct direction.
On Sunday, Cleveland Police confirmed the identities of the five people who died in the Volkswagen: Michael Robert Cahill, 23; Theo Rae, 17; Cole Robert Worthy, 16; Jacob Matusiak, 23; and Makai Saddington, 18, as reported by Teessidelive. GB News named the five victims as Michael Ray, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jakub Matusiak and Makai Saddington, with ages matching those given by Cleveland Police. All seven people were pronounced dead at the scene.
The pursuit and collision
GB News reported that the Volkswagen Passat was involved in a multiple police car pursuit after the force began chasing a "suspicious vehicle" at 3:39am. Ring doorbell footage showed the pursuit passing through residential streets at 3:36am before police stopped chasing the car when it merged onto the A66. Three minutes later, the Passat collided with the marked police car, which was on the correct side of the carriageway.
It is understood the officers were not involved in the pursuit, although this has not been confirmed by official sources, according to both Teessidelive and GB News. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) opened an investigation on Saturday morning into the circumstances leading to the crash following a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police, as reported by Teessidelive.
Victims' background and tributes
GB News reported that Makai Saddington had posted TikTok videos appearing to show him involved in high-speed police chases in the months leading to his death. The outlet also reported that the five victims were understood to have links with the traveller community, citing a Daily Mail report.
Cleveland Police lowered flags to half-mast at their Middlesbrough headquarters to pay respect to their colleagues, according to GB News. The families of the five people travelling in the Volkswagen are being supported by officers, Teessidelive reported.
A Section 60 order, which gives officers additional stop and search powers, has been placed near the site of the crash until 7:15pm on Sunday, according to Teessidelive. The order covers an area around Cargo Fleet Lane east, up to Normanby Road, along Longlands Road and the Trunk Road.