Townsville police investigating the alleged assault and robbery of a taxi driver at Aitkenvale last night have charged two teenagers with armed robbery in company using personal violence and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Police will allege that at around 8.30pm a 62-year-old taxi driver was assaulted by two male passengers. Wire was also placed around the driver’s neck pulling him back into the headrest, before he was pulled from the vehicle and thrown onto the roadway in Redhead Drive, Aitkenvale.

The pair fled in the taxi which was then sighted by police heading south on the Bruce Highway around 9pm.

The vehicle failed to stop with officers pursuing the taxi for approximately 20 minutes.

A tyre deflation device was successfully deployed at Middle Baratta Creek Bridge, approximately 12 kilometres from Ayr, causing the vehicle to come to a stop.

The men, an 18-year-old from Park Avenue and a 19-year-old from Berserker, were taken into custody without incident at the scene and are due to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court today.

The 19-year-old has also been charged with unlicensed driving and failing to stop.

Both men have also been charged with enter premises and commit an indictable offence and unlawful use of a motor vehicle in relation to the alleged break-in of a property at Berserker on February 4.

The taxi driver, a Garbutt man, was transported to Townsville Base Hospital with minor head and arm injuries.