- The five men killed in the A66 crash are Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak, both 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, and Cole Robert Worthy, 16. They were in a suspicious Volkswagen Passat which police were pursuing for seven minutes before the fatal crash at 3.30am on Saturday.
- Tributes were left for the officers, including a card reading: “Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Rest in peace.”
- Tributes for Cahill included a note attached to blue balloons: “Fly high my best [mate] from day 1. F*** the haters No1.” Another read: “You were my one and only boy. Forever 23. Lots of love, kisses and hugs. Till we meet again RIP Michael.”
- Saddington’s aunt posted on social media: “I’m heartbroken to say that we lost my beloved nephew today, our Makai. There are no words that can truly express the pain of losing someone so young, so loved, and so full of life. Rest peacefully, my beautiful nephew. You will never be forgotten. Until we meet again, fly high.”
- A friend of Rae wrote: “I’m gunna miss your daily check-ins making sure we’re all okay. I wish I could take the pain away from your mam. How are we going to get her through this I’ll never know! It just doesn’t seem real rest in peace Theo.”
Five young men tragically lost their lives in a crash on the A66 after a police pursuit. The victims, aged 16 to 23, were in a Volkswagen Passat that was traveling the wrong way when it collided with a police car.12
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, both of Cleveland police, were also killed, although they were not involved in the chase.
Cleveland's Chief Constable, Victoria Fuller, expressed her condolences, stating, “These were brave officers protecting our communities who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift.”
Tributes poured in for the victims, with heartfelt messages from family and friends. One tribute for Cahill read, “Fly high my best mate from day 1.” Saddington’s aunt shared her grief, saying, “There are no words that can truly express the pain of losing someone so young, so loved, and so full of life.”45
A friend of Rae lamented, “I’m gunna miss your daily check-ins making sure we’re all okay.” The community mourns the loss of these young lives and the dedicated officers who served them.
“The victims, aged 16 to 23, were identified as Michael Robert Cahill, Jacob Matusiak, Makai Saddington, Theo Rae, and Cole Robert Worthy. A card for the officers read: "Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Rest in peace."”
The Times
