04 / 10
Seven die near Middlesbrough in police-car collision
A wrong-way car hit a marked police vehicle near Middlesbrough, killing everyone in both vehicles.
What happened
A Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way on the A66 near South Bank collided head-on with a marked Cleveland Police vehicle early Saturday. All occupants died at the scene. Cleveland Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct are investigating the circumstances, including an earlier police pursuit.
Numbers
- 7 peopleKilled in the collision — All occupants died at scene
- 2 officersPolice officers among those killed — Both were in the police vehicle
- 03:39 BSTTime of the collision — Early Saturday morning
Questions
- Which road did it happen on?
- The vehicles met on the A66 near South Bank, east of Middlesbrough, shortly before dawn on Saturday morning.
- Why did police begin following the car?
- Police understood officers began following it after spotting what they described as a suspicious vehicle, before the collision.
- How are families being supported?
- Families of people formally identified have been told and offered specialist support while police work to identify others.
- How extensive was the response?
- Emergency services mounted a large response along the A66 after the crash, with ambulances and police visible at the scene.
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
The catch
Investigators have not confirmed the sequence of the pursuit or the cause of the crash.
Early accounts differ on pursuit timing.