Sydney man arrested after running down officer and fleeing police during traffic stop

A man has been arrested after hitting an officer with his car in a dramatic chase that began during a routine traffic stop in Sydney’s west.

Police were monitoring traffic in bus lanes on Fairford Rd in Bankstown around 9am today when the man, 29, veered across three lanes suddenly to avoid being stopped.

When directed by an officer on foot to pull over, he agreed before allegedly attempting to speed off when the lights changed, hitting the policeman and three other cars.

Running across six lanes of traffic, he then leapt over three neighbourhood fences but was dragged by officers from a nearby backyard on Boxley Avenue where he was found hiding.

The struck officer suffered a minor injury to his left arm.

Police said the man was well known to them and was also driving while disqualified.

He is expected to be charged this afternoon.