Axe-wielding man sparks shocking chaos
Police were called to Rayleigh Dr in Worrigee, in NSW's Illawarra shortly before 1pm on Saturday following reports that a man was armed with an axe and hammer.
They allege the man tried to throw the axe at a police car before retrieving it and running into a home on Illawarra Circuit.
Police allege he then assaulted a 66-year-old woman with an axe while she was sitting in her Ford Mustang, before he forced her to exit her car and ran her over before driving it away.
The 66-year-old woman has taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital in a serious but stable condition and was treated for multiple leg and torso injuries.
She has since been taken to St George Hospital in Sydney's South for further treatment.
The man then allegedly led police on an extensive chase around Illawarra, which required the assistance of PolAir helicopters. The man allegedly led police on a wild car chase across NSW's Illawarra region. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia
While the car was found at about 2pm on the Princes Highway, the pursuit spanned multiple suburbs through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama, with authorities claiming the man reached speeds of 180km/h on 80km/h roads.
While road spikes were used, the man allegedly swerved the impediments and missed a near-collision with a highway patrol officer.
The lengthy car chase came to an end after the driver allegedly collided with a ute while driving on the opposite side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs, about 50km from Worrigee, where police were initially alerted of the incident.
Members of the public apprehended the man and held him after he allegedly attempted to flee the scene.
He was then arrested and taken to Wollongong Hospital where he remains under police guard.
The driver of the ute was also taken to Wollongong Hospital for assessment.
While inquiries into the incident continue, police have established a crime scene and seized an axe and jammer from the Ford Mustang for forensic examination.
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