Five more arrests in wrong-way crash investigation

The investigation into a devastating wrong-way crash on the A66 in Middlesbrough has led to five more arrests, bringing the total number of individuals detained to 17. The collision tragically claimed the lives of seven people, including two police officers.

Cleveland Police announced the latest arrests on suspicion of various offenses. A 16-year-old boy, an 18-year-old man, and a 21-year-old man were apprehended on suspicion of participating in an organized crime group. Additionally, a 55-year-old man was arrested for allegedly assisting an offender, and a 23-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of making threats to kill. All five remain in police custody.

Previously, twelve arrests had been made. The victims of the crash were identified as PC Tom Clough, 38, PC Matthew Blades, 37, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jacob Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17. The fatal incident occurred when a Volkswagen Passat, traveling the wrong way on the A66 at South Bank, collided with a Cleveland Police armed response vehicle.

Authorities revealed that officers had been pursuing the Passat for nearly seven minutes. The pursuit was initiated due to the vehicle's connection to earlier alleged criminal activity. However, the pursuit was abandoned just 10 seconds before the crash when the Passat turned onto the dual carriageway, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Reports indicated that two vehicles were seen driving dangerously earlier that morning, with one, believed to be a Volvo XC60, "ramming properties" in the Middlesbrough area, while the Passat was associated with this activity. Both vehicles were found to be operating with cloned number plates.