Officer killed in wrong-way A66 crash was ‘superhero’ and ‘most devoted father’

Seven Dead After Cloned-Plate Car Sprints Wrong Way on Teesside Motorway

Traveloasisspot.com – A fatal collision on the A66 dual carriageway near South Bank, Teesside, claimed seven lives in the early hours of Saturday morning when a Volkswagen Passat travelling against the flow of traffic struck a marked armed response vehicle. Among those killed were two Cleveland Police officers, Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, alongside five young men aged between 17 and 23 who had been riding in the Passat.

The crash unfolded roughly ten seconds after police had formally ended a pursuit of the vehicle. The Passat, believed to be fitted with cloned number plates, had triggered an automatic number-plate recognition camera earlier in the sequence of events. An armed response unit initiated a chase that lasted just under seven minutes before the car veered onto the A66 in the wrong direction. Officers on the correct carriageway aborted the pursuit and continued driving normally. The Passat then struck their vehicle head-on.

The Officers Were Not Part of the Original Chase

The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which has been tasked with investigating the incident, confirmed on Sunday that neither Pc Blades nor Pc Clough had been involved in the initial pursuit. Cleveland Police had received intelligence linking the Passat to “numerous incidents,” and the two officers were dispatched to the area to assist with the ongoing search for the vehicle. They were in the marked armed response unit when the collision occurred.

The five occupants of the Passat were identified at the scene as Cole Robert Worthy, 17; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; Michael Robert Cahill, 23; and Jacob Matusiak, 23. All were pronounced dead where the vehicles came to rest.

“Forever Our Superhero”

In a statement released through Cleveland Police, Pc Blades’ wife described the man she had lost in terms that spoke to a life defined by family devotion and quiet heroism.

“No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt – my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys. He was an adored son and brother, a perfect son-in-law, and the most fun uncle. He was loved beyond words by all his family and friends, and his loss has left a space that can never be filled. 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, and I will carry his love, his memory and everything we shared with me always. Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever our superhero. Our Matt and Dad.”

“Our Hero” – Family of Pc Clough

Pc Clough’s family and partner issued their own tribute on Sunday, describing him as a man whose sense of humour and readiness to act made him singular among those who knew him.

“He was our hero with a fantastic sense of humour. Jumped into action whenever needed, and willing to help anyone for any reason. Proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place. Always on public duty throughout his short life. We as a family and Tom’s partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community.”

Community Rallies Behind the Families

Within days of the crash, two separate fundraising efforts had mobilised substantial support for the bereaved families. A campaign organised by the Cleveland Police Federation had gathered more than £92,000 against a £100,000 goal by Sunday evening. Organisers stated the proceeds would be divided equally between the two families, who would be free to use the money “as they so wish” while they “try to navigate this traumatic time.” A second crowdfunding initiative had separately raised over £12,500 of its £20,000 target.

What Happened on the Road

The A66 is a major dual carriageway linking Teesside with the wider North East and Midlands. Driving the wrong way on such a road at speed turns what would ordinarily be a manageable incident into a near-certain fatality, because oncoming traffic has little time to react. In this case, the Passat had been in motion for nearly seven minutes under police pursuit before its occupants chose to reverse direction onto the carriageway. The cloned plates meant the vehicle could not be immediately identified by its registration, complicating the search that Pc Blades and Pc Clough had been sent to support.

The IOPC investigation will examine the full sequence of decisions made by all parties involved, including the initial pursuit, the intelligence that prompted the search, and the circumstances under which the two officers found themselves in the path of the wrong-way vehicle. Cleveland Police have asked members of the public with any information about the Passat or its occupants to contact the investigation team.

For the families of all seven victims, the question of how a cloned-plate vehicle came to be on the wrong side of a busy motorway at that hour remains unanswered. What is certain is that two officers gave their lives in the act of trying to locate a car linked to a string of local incidents, and that their communities in Teesside and beyond have responded with an outpouring of grief, tribute, and practical support that will continue long after the immediate aftermath has passed.