Two police officers were killed in the horrific crash in the early hours of Saturday
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described it as an “incredibly sad day for Cleveland”(Image: © 2026 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)
All seven people killed in a horrific crash on the A66 in Middlesborough have now been named by Cleveland Police. The tragedy caught the attention of the nation after a VW Passat travelling the wrong way, collided with a marked police car.
Two police officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37 and PC Tom Clough, 38 died at the scene and were named by the force yesterday.
In a statement, the Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Victoria Fuller said: “Tragically, two police officers, PC Matthew Blades, aged 37, and PC Tom Clough, aged 38, died at the scene, along with the five occupants of the Passatt as a result of the collision.
“This is an incredibly sad day for Cleveland. This loss is being felt across our communities, by our police family, and by our partner agencies. These were brave officers, protecting our communities and serving our residents. Who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift.
Read the full coverage of this tragedy on our sister site, Teesside Live
“My thoughts, and the thoughts of everyone at Cleveland Police, are with their families, friends, colleagues and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. The Deputy Chief Constable and I visited Matthew and Tom’s families to offer our condolences, support one another, and begin to come to terms with this unimaginable loss.”
This afternoon, in a further update, the five occupants of the Passat have now been named. They are:
Cole Robert Worthy, 16, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23 and Michael Robert Cahill, 23.
Family Liaison Officers are continuing to work with the families all of those who sadly lost their lives in the collision.
As is mandatory following any death connected to a police incident, Cleveland Police have referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and are fully cooperating with their investigation.
Chief Constable Fuller said: “While this investigation is ongoing, and out of respect for all those who have lost loved ones, I would strongly urge people to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of the families.”