“OUR SON IS NOT TO BLAME”: FAMILY SPEAKS OUT AS NEW DETAILS EMERGE IN DEADLY A66 CRASH

The family of one of the five young men involved in the fatal A66 collision has questioned the police response, while new details about events leading up to the crash are adding another layer to a case that has shaken Middlesbrough.

The aftermath of the A66 tragedy has become increasingly complicated as investigators continue to examine what happened in the minutes before the collision.

Seven people lost their lives in the early hours of Aug. 22 when a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the wrong direction on the A66 collided head-on with a marked Cleveland Police vehicle near South Bank, Middlesbrough.

Five young men were inside the Passat — Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill and Jakub Matusiak, both 23.

The two police officers inside the other vehicle, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, also lost their lives.

FAMILY QUESTIONS THE POLICE RESPONSE

Relatives of one of the young men have publicly challenged the circumstances surrounding the police pursuit.

Their criticism comes as the Independent Office for Police Conduct continues to examine the actions of officers before the collision.

According to the IOPC, an armed response vehicle followed the Passat for almost seven minutes after it had been connected to earlier alleged criminal activity.

The pursuit was abandoned after the Passat entered the A66 travelling against the flow of traffic.

Police continued along the correct side of the carriageway, but roughly 10 seconds later, the Passat collided with the officers’ vehicle.

The circumstances have prompted difficult questions about whether the outcome could have been different and whether the pursuit should have been handled differently.

However, the investigation has not concluded that police action caused the collision.

THEN A NEW DETAIL EMERGED

As public attention focused on the crash, another detail surrounding the events immediately beforehand emerged.

A house belonging to the father of 17-year-old Cole Worthy had reportedly been rammed by a vehicle shortly before the fatal collision.

The BBC reported that police had received multiple reports of vehicles being driven dangerously around Middlesbrough before the A66 incident. A Volvo XC60 was reportedly seen ramming properties.

That discovery has raised fresh questions about what was happening in the area before the five young men entered the A66.

It has also contributed to a broader police investigation into suspected serious and organised criminal activity in the area.

THE CRASH WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT

Cleveland Police have said the five young men may have had links to serious and organised criminal activity.

Following the collision, numerous people were arrested as officers investigated events surrounding the crash and alleged criminal activity in the area.

Police said the investigation was not simply about the collision itself, but also about what may have happened before it.

Authorities have continued to stress that the wider investigation is ongoing and that allegations should not be treated as established facts.

TWO OFFICERS WERE ALSO AMONG THE VICTIMS

While debate continues over the police pursuit, the tragedy also left two police families grieving.

PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough were responding in a marked vehicle when the Passat travelling the wrong way entered their path.

Both officers lost their lives in the collision.

Blades, 37, was a father of two and a Manchester United supporter. His two sons were later invited to Old Trafford, where they served as mascots for the club during a Premier League match in tribute to their father.

QUESTIONS THAT MAY TAKE MONTHS TO ANSWER

The A66 tragedy has now become the focus of several investigations, including the circumstances surrounding the police pursuit and allegations of organised criminal activity in the area.

For the families of all seven victims, however, the investigation remains deeply personal.

The families of the five young men have faced intense public scrutiny, while the families of the two officers continue to mourn their loved ones.

The emergence of new information about events before the crash may help investigators establish a clearer timeline.

But one question remains at the heart of the case:

What exactly happened in the minutes leading up to the A66 collision — and could anything have changed the outcome?

Those questions will ultimately have to be answered by the ongoing investigations rather than by social-media speculation.

The IOPC investigation remains ongoing.