A house rammed by a car shortly before a fatal crash on the A66 in Middlesbrough belonged to the father of a teenager who died in the incident. Cole Worthy, 17, was among five young men killed when a Volkswagen Passat, travelling the wrong way, collided with a Cleveland Police armed response vehicle, which also claimed the lives of two officers.

Prior to the crash, which occurred at 03:39 BST on Saturday, police had received multiple reports of two vehicles driving dangerously. A Volvo XC60 was observed ramming properties. The BBC has learned that after his father's home was rammed, Worthy and the four other occupants departed in the Passat. Police are investigating a link between the activities of the Volvo XC60 and the Passat, though there is no indication that Worthy's father was involved in any criminal activity.

PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, were killed along with passengers Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jacob Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, and Cole Worthy. The Independent Office for Police Conduct stated that officers had pursued the Passat for nearly seven minutes, connecting it to earlier alleged criminal activity. However, the pursuit was terminated 10 seconds before the collision when the car turned onto the dual carriageway.

Both vehicles involved were reportedly using cloned number plates but were detected by automated number plate recognition technology. The rammed property, a red brick semi-detached house in a quiet Acklam street, sustained damage to its downstairs bay window, with bricks scattered outside. An upstairs bedroom window was also broken. Neighbours, who wished to remain anonymous, reported hearing loud noises around 2 AM on Saturday and noted a significant police presence throughout the weekend. Some neighbours indicated that Worthy occasionally stayed at his father's residence.

In a separate but related development, nine men and three women, aged between 18 and 61, were arrested across Teesside on Monday as part of the investigation into the events leading up to the crash. These arrests were made on suspicion of various offences, including possession of a firearm and involvement in an organised crime group. Two men have since been charged: Kai Beattie faces charges for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, while Cameron George is charged with drug supply offences and possession of criminal property.

Cleveland Police announced on Tuesday that five further arrests had been made. These include a 16-year-old boy and two men aged 18 and 21, detained on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group. A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and a 23-year-old man was detained on suspicion of making threats to kill. All five remain in custody as the investigation continues.

The crash has prompted a significant investigation into the sequence of events and the alleged criminal activity preceding the fatal collision. Authorities are working to establish a comprehensive timeline and the roles of all individuals involved.

Questions remain regarding the precise nature of the alleged criminal activity, the full extent of the organised crime group's involvement, and the motivations behind the dangerous driving and property ramming incidents. The ongoing investigation aims to provide clarity on these matters.