Two armed response officers and five young men died early Saturday when a Volkswagen Passat struck their marked police vehicle on the A66 near Middlesbrough, after a pursuit that lasted just under seven minutes. PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, were killed when the Passat collided with their car approximately 10 seconds after police aborted the chase.
The Passat had entered the A66 in South Bank against the flow of traffic before hitting the officers' vehicle, which was not part of the pursuit. All five occupants of the Passat — Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18 — were also killed.
Cleveland Police Federation organised a fundraising initiative for the officers' families, with proceeds to be split equally between them. A silent prayer vigil is scheduled for Monday at St John the Evangelist Church in South Bank. Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey emphasised the importance of compassion for police during this period.