20-Year-Old Man's First Date Ends in Police Chase Crash and 7 Injured Officers: Reports
A man has admitted to dangerous driving in court after causing a car crash which left seven police officers injured while taking a woman home from their first date, according to reports.
Personal trainer Mazyar Azarbonyad, 20, sped away from police after they pursued him for a defective rear light on his BMW, sparking a chase which led to a multi-vehicle crash in Tyneside in the north of England at 2:30 a.m. on April 9, BBC News, and U.K. outlets The Independent reported.
The collision involving the defendant's car and five police cars caused one of the police cars to have its roof torn off and the doors broken off, according to reports.
The court heard the defendant's vehicle had almost come to a stop after being surrounded by police cars, but they were then hit by an unmarked police Volvo, which had earlier reached speeds of 135 mph, per BBC News.
Seven police officers were injured and five police cars were damaged in the crash, according to the outlet.
Azarbonyad, who moved to the U.K. from Iran at around age 15, confessed while appearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court that he had no license during the crash and the woman he was with had cannabis on her at the time, the outlet added.
The court heard that Azarbonyad continued to drive on four further occasions following the crash, despite being told not to as part of his bail conditions. He also admitted driving without insurance.
Prosecutor Simon Worth told the defendant, per the outlet, "One would have thought as a matter of common sense ... that you would have been a bit more sensible about your activities, having been so lucky to get out of an accident only two days before. But no, no, you continue to stick two fingers up.'Jack Lovell, Azarbonyad's attorney, Jack Lovell, said in court that his client has shown genuine remorse for his actions and he was struck with 'immediate panic' when pursued by the police. He also said he was "very foolish" to drive again after the crash. per the outlet.
'I am not in any way trying to excuse - he should not have been driving the vehicle, it is his driving that has led to the incident on the A1,' said Lovell. 'He accepts that by way of his guilty plea.'
Azarbonyad has no previous convictions, according to reports. He is set to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on May 20.
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PEOPLE has reached out to Newcastle Magistrate's Court and Northumbria Police for comment.
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