Police Chase Suspect at High Speed: Tragic Crash Claims Lives of Two Officers Just Minutes Before 7 PM

THIS is the moment three police cars pursue a suspect down a narrow residential road in a high speed chase – just minutes before seven people died in a horror crash.

Two brave gun cops – PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38 – with a Passat on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours.

The Passat is believed to have been racing the wrong way down the A-road when it collided with two serving officers driving the other way in a marked cop car.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said officers gave chase in the early hours after identifying the Passat as a “suspicious vehicle”.

Chilling Ring doorbell footage obtained by The Sun on Sunday captured it speeding down a residential street.

Three police cars, with their blue lights flashing and sirens wailing, followed at speed as the vehicle headed towards the arterial road where the crash occurred.

The Passat shot down Lime Road in Teesville, , at 3.36am on its way towards the A66.

Residents said they were woken at 3:36am by the sound of screeching tyres as the motor took a corner into their narrow street.

Ellie Westerman, 24, said: “The car must have been travelling at between 80 and 100 mph down our narrow street.

“The noise woke me and I shot out of bed, you could feel the vibration in the house as the car went past and the police vehicles followed with their lights and sirens going.

“It was frightening that cars were being driven at that speed through a residential area and it’s tragic people have ended up dying.”

Another resident said: “The screech of tyres woke me up, the car being followed must have taken the corner into our road at a tremendous speed.”

Local resident Neil Hutchinson, 47, said: “The police cars were tearing down the street at half past three with lights flashing and their sirens going,

“You could tell from the noise that they were travelling at high speed.

“Two cars went down the street and then a few seconds later there was a third.

“They were obviously going after another vehicle.

“It’s a narrow street with cars parked on either side so it must have been a serious situation to be going at that speed down this road.”

Sadly, all occupants of the vehicles were declared dead at the scene.

A referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

The IOPC said it is believed the officers spotted a suspicious vehicle and began a pursuit.

The car then travelled onto the A66 and collided with the police car.

The A66 will stay closed between Normanby Road and Church Lane for some time Cleveland Police have said.

Chief Constable Victoria Fuller Their devastated Chief Constable Victoria Fuller fought back tears as she spoke of their “unimaginable loss”.

She said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with the families of everyone involved in today’s incident.

“No one should leave their home and not return safely, including police officers serving their communities and protecting the people of Cleveland.

“This tragic incident will be felt across Cleveland, within our communities and throughout the entire policing family.

“We are providing specialist support to all families involved at this extremely difficult time.

“The has been referred to the IOPC, which is the standard approach when a death occurs following police contact. We will cooperate fully with their investigation.

“While this investigation takes place, we strongly urge people to avoid speculation.”

The families of those identified have been informed and are being offered specialist support.