A house linked to one of the five men killed in the A66 crash was rammed less than an hour before the smash that killed two officers, it has emerged.
It is understood Gye Worthy's home in a quiet street in Acklam, Middlesbrough, was hit twice by a Volvo XC60, which reversed into the front window.
Neighbours said his Cole Worthy, 17, Gye's son who was killed in the crash, sometimes stayed at the address.
A house in Ruskin Avenue, Middlesbrough, after being rammed by a car, which deliberately reversed into the front window, causing extensive damage.
(Image: OWEN HUMPHRIES/ PA WIRE)
Within minutes a VW Passat containing Mr Worthy's son Cole and four others was racing around the streets of Middlesbrough and was picked up by a police patrol.
A chase was initiated but ended when the VW drove the wrong way up the A66.
Seconds later it smashed into a marked police car, killing PCs Tom Clough, 38, and Matthew Blades, 37. The pair were not directly involved in the pursuit.
PC Blades and PC Clough
(Image: CLEVELAND POLICE)
According to reports occupants of the Volvo and Passat belonged to rival gangs operating as part of an organised crime network across Teesside.
There is no suggestion Gye Worthy, 39, was involved in any criminal activity.
A house in Ruskin Avenue, Middlesbrough, after being rammed by a car, which deliberately reversed into the front window, causing extensive damage.
(Image: OWEN HUMPHRIES/ PA WIRE)
The chain of events that led to the deaths of the two officers, Worthy, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17 and Michael Cahill, 23, began in the unlikely setting of Ruskin Avenue in Acklam, Middlesbrough.
The peace of the usually quiet street of post-war semis was shattered around 3am on Saturday morning.
A neighbour said: "The huge bang woke everyone up and it was then followed by a second.
"Whatever happened was quick because by the time my husband looked out of the window the car was gone but there was very bad damage to the house."
Pictures show the front bay window had collapsed, windows broken and the front door smashed.
From left to right: Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Michael Robert Cahill, 23.
(Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
Another neighbour said Mr Worthy had lived at the address for around ten years and lived "a normal life."
He is listed at Companies House as the director of a private limited company called Worthylift Ltd, which was incorporated in July this year, living at the Ruskin Avenue home.
A house in Ruskin Avenue, Middlesbrough, after being rammed by a car, which deliberately reversed into the front window, causing extensive damage.
(Image: OWEN HUMPHRIES/ PA WIRE)
Cleveland Police have confirmed both the Volvo and VW Passat were part of their enquiries in the early hours of Saturday (August 22).
Mr Worthy's home was rammed at around 3am. By 3.36am the VW Passat was caught on CCTV racing at between 80 and 100mph down Lime Road in Teesville, pursued by three police vehicles.
At 3.39am it turned the wrong way up the A66 dual carriageway, at which point the pursuing police vehicles stopped.
Just ten seconds later, it smashed head-on into the armed response vehicle containing PCs Clough and Blades.
Police officers at the scene of a fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough (Owen Humphreys/PA)
A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: "On the morning of Saturday 22 August, Cleveland Police received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously.
"The first vehicle, which is believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed to be ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.
"The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo XC60.
"Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection but were picked up by the Force’s automated number plate recognition technology.
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"The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough as part of the criminal investigation.
"Throughout the course of the weekend Cleveland Police, supported by officers and staff from Durham, Northumbria and North Yorkshire Police, have worked tirelessly to establish the circumstances which led to the fatal collision."
Seventeen people have so far been arrested as part of a probe into the circumstances leading to the crash.