Cleveland police killed in A66 crash
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The gist
Seven people, including two police officers, died in a head-on crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough early Saturday. The crash followed a police pursuit that had ended before the collision.
Background
The crash occurred at about 3:39 a.m. local time on August 22, 2026, when a Volkswagen Passat traveling the wrong way on the A66 near South Bank, Middlesbrough, collided head-on with a marked Cleveland Police vehicle. The officers had been pursuing a suspicious vehicle, but the pursuit had ended before the crash. All seven occupants of both vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an investigation into the circumstances, including the police pursuit.
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2026 03:36Security camera footage appears to show police vehicles chasing a car on Lime Road, about three minutes before the crash.
- Aug 22, 2026 03:39A Volkswagen Passat traveling the wrong way on the A66 collides head-on with a marked Cleveland Police vehicle, killing all seven people in both vehicles.
- Aug 22, 2026The two police officers are named as PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38. The five occupants of the Passat, said to be in their late teens to early 20s, are not yet named.
- Aug 22, 2026The Independent Office for Police Conduct launches an investigation into the crash, including the police pursuit.
- Aug 23, 2026Tributes pour in for the officers, described as 'brave officers protecting our communities' and an 'unimaginable loss'.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said the incident will be felt across Cleveland and the entire policing family.
- Public
- Local MP Anna Turley urged the public to respect the investigation process and avoid speculation at this deeply painful time.
- Police Federation
- Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said the loss of the officers was 'unfathomable' and that words cannot describe the pain.
Still unverified
The BBC understands that the police pursuit had ended before the crash, and the police vehicle involved was not part of the pursuit. This is based on a police source and has not been officially confirmed.