Man charged over machete rampage

A man accused of ramming a stolen car into another vehicle before using a machete to attack and threaten four Gladstone residents has been arrested after a highway chase.

The man is facing more than 20 charges over a violent rampage yesterday that saw a woman slashed with the machete, another woman punched, and a teenage girl and a man also threatened with the weapon.

He was arrested after police pursued him on the Dawson Highway. He struggled violently with officers before they managed to subdue and handcuff him.

The rampage began when the man rammed a stolen car into a parked vehicle at a unit complex in South Gladstone just after 1pm.

He then stormed into one of the units, allegedly punching a woman, 45, and slashing another woman, 31, on the chin and hand.

Police say he also used the machete to threatening a girl, 15, and a man, 36, before fleeing in the damaged stolen car.

He was intercepted a short time later on the Dawson Highway, struggling violently with officers before being taken into custody.

The 31-year-old will face the Gladstone Magistrates Court on Friday on charges including unlawful wounding, assault, driving a stolen car without a licence and burglary. He's also accused of refusing a roadside breath test.

The woman slashed with the machete has been treated in hospital. Her injuries are not life threatening.