A 20-year-old personal trainer has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after a high-speed police chase ended in a major crash on the A1, leaving seven police officers injured and multiple vehicles damaged.

Mazyar Azarbonyad, of Sylvia Terrace in Durham, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court today (Saturday 19 April), where he admitted to charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop, and driving without a licence on multiple occasions.

The dramatic incident unfolded just before 2.30am on 9 April, when police attempted to stop Azarbonyad’s BMW M Sport in the Whickham area of Gateshead over concerns about his driving. A pursuit was initiated, culminating in a massive collision involving five police vehicles on the northbound A1 near the Derwent Haugh Road junction, on the Gateshead-Newcastle border.

Azarbonyad was reportedly driving a woman home from their first date when the crash occurred. Miraculously, both he and his passenger were uninjured. The woman was initially arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving but has since been released with no further action taken.

Officers Hospitalised, Road Closed for Hours

Seven police officers were taken to hospital following the crash with what were described as non-life-threatening injuries. All have since been discharged. The crash caused the A1 to be closed for over 13 hours, with significant disruption to traffic as emergency services and recovery teams worked at the scene.

Police say the pursuit and crash took place in an area tragically familiar with high-profile incidents—the same stretch of road where gunman Raoul Moat shot PC David Rathband in 2010, leaving the officer permanently blinded.

Pattern of Reckless Behaviour

After initially being released on bail, Azarbonyad was found to have driven without a valid licence on four separate occasions, using a Hyundai i10 to commute to his job at a Newcastle town-centre gym. These repeat offences were also admitted in court.

Public Reaction and Next Steps

The shocking crash and its aftermath have drawn strong reactions online, with many expressing concern about road safety and police welfare. One user posted, “Seven officers hurt because someone wanted to show off on a first date? Unbelievable.” Others have called for stricter enforcement of banned driving orders.

Sentencing has been adjourned to a later date. Azarbonyad remains in custody ahead of further hearings. The court is expected to consider the extent of the disruption caused, the risk to public safety, and the injuries sustained by police personnel in its final judgment.