Five males killed in car driving wrong way on A66 named

Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 16, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18, all died when their Volkswagen Passat collided with a marked police armed response vehicle on the A66 early on Saturday.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were also killed in the collision and had been driving in the correct direction.

Cleveland Police said: “Family Liaison Officers are continuing to work with the families all of those who sadly lost their lives in the collision.”

A police officer stands at a cordon near the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough following a fatal crash (Image: Richard McCarthy/PA Wire)

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were also killed when a Volkswagen Passat which was travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway near Middlesbrough collided with their marked armed response vehicle that was going in the right direction.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash at 3.39am in South Bank after a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” to hear about the crash, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts were with all those affected.

Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the accident happened, said of the two police officers who died: “They went to work to keep people safe and they should have come home to their families.

“Their loss will be felt deeply by their loved ones, fellow officers and right across the communities they served.”

(Image: Richard McCarthy/PA Wire)

David Taylor and Stephen Martin, councillors for the Eston ward, said they were “deeply saddened” by the “unimaginable tragedy”.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said in a statement on Facebook: “A horrible and tragic incident in Southbank this morning and my thoughts are with those affected, their families and the emergency services who attended the scene.

“Our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us, and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident.”