A man has faced court over allegedly carjacking a taxi and a police pursuit on the Central Coast.
Just after 6pm on Thursday, a 36-year-old man was picked up by a taxi in Wyong before heading to Hill Street, Gorokan.
The 36-year-old allegedly threatened the 61-year-old taxi driver with a hammer and demanded the keys.
A struggle occured between the pair before the younger man fled into a nearby house.
He allegedly threatened a couple inside and demanded keys to a van parked outside.
A 73-year-old woman threw a glass of water at him and he ran out a rear door.
The man then approached a Hyundai i30, which had stopped to help the taxi driver, and tried to open the driver’s side door, before the 19-year-old female driver drove away.
The 36-year-old then re-entered the taxi and drove away.
Police attended and set up a crime scene.
The taxi driver was not physically injured during the incident.
About half an hour later, officers saw the taxi travelling south on the M1 at Morisset.
Police started a pursuit, before putting out road spikes south of the Bushells Ridge Road overpass in Kiar.
The taxi crashed into a marked police vehicle and rolled several times.
The driver was arrested and taken to John Hunter Hospital for observation.
He was released last night, and charged with nine offences including;
Aggravated break and enter and excessive speeding.
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Bail Court today.
