Two Cleveland Police Officers and Five Civilians Killed in A66 Wrong-Way Crash

PCs Matthew Blades (37) and Tom Clough (38) died at the scene when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the A66 in South Bank, Teesside, collided head-on with their marked armed response vehicle at 3:39am on 22 August 2026. All five occupants of the Volkswagen also died, bringing the total death toll to seven. The IOPC has opened an investigation.