Two people seriously hurt following taxi and car collision in Middlesbrough

Cleveland Police appeal for help following serious collision in Middlesbrough.  Investigations are on-going today after a serious collision in central Middlesbrough in the early hours of today. It happened at 2.35am on Tuesday 19th February, and involved a silver Ford Focus which was travelling north along Derwent Street towards Newport Road and a white Skoda Octavia taxi which was travelling in front of the Focus. Due to the contact from the Focus, the Skoda then collided with a brick wall of an industrial building on the opposite side of Newport Road, and the Focus left the carriageway, colliding with a tree on the other side of the road. Two male passengers got out of the Focus and left the scene and inquiries are on-going to trace them. The driver sustained serious injuries and remains in James Cook University Hospital undergoing treatment. The taxi’s front seat passenger sustained serious spinal injuries and is also in James Cook University Hospital receiving treatment. The taxi’s other occupants, all male, sustained minor injuries. The road was closed for several hours to allow emergency services to deal with the incident and to begin inquiries. We are appealing for information from any one who was in the area at the time, or who may have captured the incident on dash cam or private CCTV systems. Anyone else who saw either or both vehicles and their occupants before the incident is also asked to get in touch.