Police are searching for a man after a pursuit, carjacking, and kidnapping in Newcastle yesterday afternoon.
Just after 3:30 police started pursuing a speeding Honda Prelude in Jesmond to Hexham, where the driver performed a U-turn and crashed into another car.
The elderly couple in the car was not injured.
The driver continued south but later crashed into scrub.
As an officer tried to arrest the man he pulled out a knife and broke free before running across four lanes of traffic, stopping a Toyota LandCruiser and threatening the driver with a knife to continue driving.
Police pursued the LandCruiser to Ashtonfield where the driver jumped out, but the offender took control of the car and drove back towards Hexham.
Police stopped the pursuit for safety reasons, and are now looking for the gold coloured vehicle with the registration CJC 09Y and the man described as Caucasian, aged in his mid to late 20s, about 175cm tall, with fair and freckled complexion and short red hair.
