Man sentenced over a1 crash which hospitalised seven police officers

MAZYAR AZARBONYAD WAS TOLD IT WAS "NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE" NOBODY WAS KILLED. 11:58, 02 Jun 2025Updated 13:21, 02 Jun 2025 A 20-year-old man who caused a

"catastrophic" crash on a major road that wrecked five police cars and left seven officers in hospital has been sentenced. Mazyar Azarbonyad failed to stop for police during a

terrifying 100mph chase along the A1 on April 9, 2025. The personal trainer from Stanley, County Durham, was on a first date at the time, and later admitted to dangerous driving. He appeared

at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday, June 2, charged with two counts of failing to stop, driving without a licence and insurance. He was originally due to be sentenced two weeks ago, on May

20, but this was delayed after a dispute over his driving record required further investigation. It was found that he had purchased the car on finance, despite having a provisional licence

and no insurance, and having only had three driving lessons. After being released on bail, he was spotted driving another car from his home to his workplace in Newcastle, and filling it up

at a garage, Chronicle Live reports. Article continues below Prosecutor Jolyon Perks said an officer first saw the BMW driven by Azarbonyad, which also had a defective light, driving at

speed in Swalwell, Gateshead, at around 1.50am. The officer followed and attempted to pull him over. Although he did stop, he sped off as the officer approached on foot. When police caught

up with him at 2.25am, he again made off at speed. The chase was then led by specialist tactical pursuit officers, who followed him on to the A1 northbound. Mr Perks said: "The lead

police pursuit vehicle’s dash cam shows him doing more than 100mph then approaching speeds of 120mph in an attempt to get away from the police." He added: "As the defendant

approached the junction with the A186 he abandoned his attempt to escape but rapidly decelerated from 119mph to stop in the middle of the carriageway. "As a consequence, the pursuing

police vehicles were forced to emergency brake in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid a serious collision." The crash that followed was captured by a supporting police helicopter. Several

of the officers involved had to be cut free from their vehicles. Although seven required hospital treatment, none of them sustained serious injuries. Azarbonyad's passenger, a young

woman he had only met for the first time that night, said he told her he was fleeing the police because of his car's faulty light. She described his car as "wobbling" as its

speed exceeded 100mph, and said it felt unsafe. Mr Perks added: "She told him several times to stop before he eventually did. "She thought he could have killed someone. She said,

in her opinion, his intent was purely to get away from the police." Penny Hall, mitigating, said: "He was giving a lift to the female and he did pull over initially but then made

off from the location. "He says the female said she had drugs on her, something he did not know until she said that. She showed him something he believed must be drugs and he panicked

that he had drugs in his car and made off." Miss Hall added that Azarbonyad was "terrified" of going to prison, but was aware it was a "real risk". JOIN THE DAILY

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the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Passing sentence, Judge Tim Gittins told him: “Just after 1.50am on

the morning of April 9, you were driving a BMW X5 4x4 which you had purchased on finance some time earlier despite having only a provisional licence, despite having no insurance and despite

the fact you had only had three driving lessons. “You should have been nowhere near the driving seat of any vehicle that night, let alone one such as a BMW X5, a large and powerful SUV.” He

added: "Officers sought to move in to contain your vehicle in the way they are highly experienced and trained to do. "Just as dangerous as your high speed had been throughout, your

actions thereafter, in braking harshly, rapidly decelerating to come to a sudden stop in the middle of the four lanes, led to a catastrophic collision." He said it was "nothing

short of a miracle" nobody was more seriously injured or killed. The extent of injuries sustained meant he could not charge Azarbonyad with causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Judge Gittins sentenced him to 14 months in a young offenders' institution and banned him from driving for three years. He added: “It’s difficult to imagine a worse single offence of

dangerous driving without serious injury or death being caused.” Following the sentencing, Superintendent Billy Mulligan from Northumbria Police said: "It is sheer luck that Mazyar

Azarbonyad did not kill anyone that day with his reckless actions. What should have been a simple stop turned into him driving incredibly dangerously in a bid to get away from officers.

"He showed absolutely zero regard for the safety of anyone else that morning, and his decision-making behind the wheel put lives at risk. "I would like to recognise the bravery of

the officers involved in the pursuit and subsequent collision on the A1." Article continues below