World News
Fundraiser for police officers killed in A66 collision exceeds £1m
Donations overflow for the families of two Cleveland officers as police continue arrests into the events leading up to the crash.
The short version
- A Cleveland Police Federation fundraiser for PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, who died in an A66 wrong-way crash, surpassed £1 million.
- Seven people died in total, including the two officers and five young men inside the oncoming Volkswagen Passat.
- Police monitoring the lead-up to the crash have arrested 17 individuals across Teesside for offenses related to firearms and organized crime.
- The Independent Office for Police Conduct continues to review the incident after revealing a police pursuit was abandoned 10 seconds prior to the collision.
Key facts
- A fundraiser established by the Cleveland Police Federation for the families of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough has raised over £1 million.[BBC News]
- The two officers and five young men in a Volkswagen Passat died after the Passat entered the A66 traveling the wrong way near South Bank.[BBC News]
- According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, police officers had been pursuing the Passat due to alleged criminal activity but called off the pursuit 10 seconds before the fatal impact.[BBC News]
- Police arrested 17 people aged 18 to 61 across Teesside for crimes including firearm possession and organized crime as part of the surrounding investigation.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- Full details surrounding the alleged criminal activity leading to the vehicle pursuit and subsequent arrests remain under active police investigation.[BBC News]
Sources
- Fundraiser for A66 crash police officers tops £1mBBC News - Top Stories