Man facing charges after alleged rampage in Brisbane

A man who allegedly tried to set fire to a service station and attempted several carjackings on Brisbane has spent the night in custody.

Police are expected to charge the 56-year-old later today following the rampage which took place in Brisbane's southside.

The drama began at 9am yesterday when a Blue Commodore clipped a woman while driving into a petrol station on Mains Road at Sunnybank.

The driver then allegedly threatened staff and demanded cigarettes inside the building, before pouring fuel from a bowser onto the ground and setting it alight.

The staff were able to put out the blaze, but the man drove off.

Fifteen minutes later, his Commodore crashed into a stationary vehicle at the intersection of Kessels Road.

The driver then attempted to carjack two separate vehicles whose drivers had locked their doors.

He then allegedly jumped into a HiAce van whose driver, a man in his 70s, had stopped to get out and help.

The older man was joined by another driver of another threatened car, and the pair dragged the alleged offender out of the van.

Kev Devenny told 9News the man was pretty strong.

"He could have beat the two of us no trouble," he said.

The offender allegedly struck a dog squad officer who joined in the fight to subdue him.

Inspector Geoff Acreman said he had been using a metal mug as a makeshift knuckle duster.

"At this stage of the game there is something not quite right there, this behaviour is quite irrational," he said.

"He has been taken to the hospital for examination, and we'll obviously be looking at that much further down the track."

No charges have yet been laid, and no one else involved suffered injuries.

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