A66 crash that killed hero officers and five men involved no 'tactical contact' or use of stinger, police watchdog finds

An initial investigation into the A66 crash has found no evidence of 'tactical contact' or the use of a stinger before the collision, the police watchdog confirmed today.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been examining the incident at South Bank near Middlesbrough which killed two police officers and five young men.PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died when a Volkswagen Passat hit their marked police car while going the wrong way down the dual carriageway.The five men in the Passat - Jakub Matusiak, 23; Cole Worthy, 17; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; and Michael Cahill, 23 - were also pronounced dead at the scene.The IOPC revealed this afternoon that it had confirmed the pursuit by Cleveland Police officers started at 3.33am on the morning of Saturday, August 22.Analysis of police in-car footage showed that six minutes later at 3.39am, the driver of the Passat slowed on the approach to the A66 junction, braking heavily.The driver then turned to the right and travelled along the A66 against the flow of traffic – but the pursuing police car did not follow it onto the wrong carriageway. Police at the scene of the crash on the A66 in South Bank near Middlesbrough on August 22 PC Matthew Blades, a father of two, was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, ten seconds after a police pursuit had been called offInstead, the police vehicle's blue lights were turned off and the driver followed on the correct carriageway. Some 17 seconds later, the Passat collided with another police vehicle, which was travelling on the correct carriageway.The IOPC said: 'The available evidence at this point indicates there was no tactical contact initiated by police when the collision occurs and there was no use of a stinger, a portable spike strip deployed by officers to puncture the tyres of a vehicle, during the pursuit.'It added that a forensic collision investigator has been 'exploring investigative methods to ascertain both vehicles' speeds during the collision'.IOPC director of engagement Emily Barry said: 'I wish to again extend my sympathies to the family and friends of those involved, and to everyone who has been impacted by the loss of lives.'We continue to recognise the devastating and long-lasting impact this incident has had on the families and those in the force, the policing community, and the wider local community.'As our investigation continues to progress, I would like to reassure everyone that we are focused on establishing precisely what happened in the run up to the tragic incident. Theo Rae and Cole Worthy (right), both 17, were among those who died in the A66 crashMakai Saddington (left), 18, and Michael Cahill (right), 23, also died in the A66 collisionJakub Matusiak, 23, also died in the A66 crash in South Bank, Middlesbrough, on August 22'It's vital that a thorough independent investigation is carried out to establish the full circumstances. The officers involved at this stage are being treated as witnesses.'We are aware there is speculation regarding how the collision occurred. There is no suggestion the collision was a result of any direct police contact, nor was a stinger used by the police in an attempt to stop the Passat.'It's important to acknowledge that due to the vast amount of information to be reviewed, analysed and verified, along with the expert reports that have been commissioned to support our investigation, we anticipate it will take months, rather than weeks, to conclude our investigation.'We have ensured that all families have been made aware of our involvement and they will be provided with regular updates throughout.'The IOPC said it had commissioned two expert reports, with one considering the collision reconstruction and another assessing the policies in place for officers during pursuits.