Man with kids arrested following police chase, alleged carjacking in Sydney
A 36-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly carjacked a woman, cut another man’s hand and led police on a chase with two children in tow in Sydney’s west.
Police tried to pull the driver over on Lakemba Street in Lakemba at 3pm on Saturday, but he allegedly refused to stop.
A man has allegedly carjacked a woman on a busy motorway in Sydney’s west with two kids in tow. Supplied
Police chased the man into Belmore and Belfield before they ended their pursuit due to the way the man was allegedly driving.
The car allegedly collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Parramatta Road and Bombay Street in Lidcombe a short time later.
After the crash, the man allegedly got out of the car with two children and unsuccessfully tried to steal another vehicle.
Nicholas Karagianis was among the bystanders who tried to stop the man.
“He fell down in front of me, that’s when I noticed he had a knife,” Karagianis said.
“I was just thinking about these two kids, you know, they were crying [and] screaming.
“The man did not look well, yeah, he didn’t look well at all.”
The alleged carjacking incident came after a stranger tried to help and offered the man and children a ride. But soon she was allegedly threatened at knifepoint and tumbled out the driver’s door.
“She was in shock, she was bruised up, she was literally thrown out of her own car,” Karagianis said.
NSW Police Inspector Mark Wakeham said another man who attempted to take the keys out of the car was allegedly cut on his hand.
The 36-year-old man allegedly stole the woman’s car and drove westbound along the M4 Motorway at Wentworthville.
Bystanders at the scene on the side of the motorway. Supplied
The car was finally stopped on the Cumberland Highway, and the man was arrested by an off-duty police sergeant, who was helped by members of the public.
The 36-year-old was taken to hospital under police guard.
Wakeham described the bystanders as “incredibly brave”.
“They did a wonderful job,” he said.
“We’d like to thank members of the public for assisting us in this case,” he said.
Emergency services were called to the scene. 9News
The children suffered minor grazes and were taken to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
The man was charged with police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously, robbery armed with offensive weapon and reckless wounding.
The man was refused bail in a bedside hearing on Saturday.
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