Teen Joyrider K.i.l.l.e.d in D.e.a.d.l.y A66 Police Crash Was Awaiting Trial for Racially Abusing and Assaulting Officers — Widow of Fallen Hero Cop: The Pain of Losing Him Is Beyond Words
In the early hours of Saturday, a catastrophic head-on collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough claimed seven lives, including two Cleveland Police officers and five young men travelling in a Volkswagen Passat driven the wrong way along the dual carriageway.
The officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were in a marked armed response vehicle travelling in the correct direction when the Passat smashed into them at approximately 3.39am near South Bank. All seven people died at the scene.
The five occupants of the Passat have been named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18. Police had been pursuing the vehicle for just under seven minutes after intelligence linked it to multiple incidents and an automatic number plate recognition camera activated, indicating the car may have been using cloned plates. Officers aborted the chase when the Passat entered the A66 against the flow of traffic. Roughly ten seconds later, the vehicle collided with the officers’ car, which was in the area assisting the search but not part of the active pursuit.
It has now emerged that one of those killed, 18-year-old Makai Saddington, was awaiting trial on charges of assaulting a Cleveland Police sergeant and causing racially aggravated alarm or distress to another officer. He had appeared before Teesside magistrates on 17 July, when the case was adjourned. In the months leading up to the crash, videos posted on social media platforms appeared to show Saddington and others involved in high-speed driving and previous police pursuits, including clips filmed while being chased through residential areas.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident following a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police. Family liaison officers continue to support the bereaved families of all those who died.
Tributes have poured in for the two officers. PC Blades’ widow described her husband as her “beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys.” She said: “No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt… He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness. The pain of losing him is beyond words, and our lives will never be the same. Neither will the love he gave us ever fade. Our children will grow up knowing what an incredible father he was and will always be.”
PC Clough’s family remembered him as “our hero with a fantastic sense of humour” who “jumped into action whenever needed” and was “always on public duty throughout his short life.” They expressed gratitude for the widespread support received from colleagues, friends and the wider community.
A fundraising appeal launched by the Cleveland Police Federation to support the officers’ families quickly raised more than £100,000. Senior officers and the Police Federation have described the loss as unfathomable, emphasising that both men left their families that night to serve the public and did not return.
The tragedy has drawn attention to the dangers of high-risk driving behaviour among some young people, including the posting of footage of dangerous driving and pursuits online. Investigations into the exact sequence of events and the backgrounds of those involved continue.
This devastating incident leaves multiple families shattered and a police force mourning two colleagues who died while carrying out their duties.
