Axe attack: Elderly man charged with murder of pedestrian in west Sydney

A pedestrian has been hit by a car and killed in a grisly fight involving an axe pulled from the car of an elderly driver, police allege.

A man has died after suffering axe wounds during a brutal and bloody fight that followed a car crash in Sydney’s west.

Two men were fighting on Sydney Luker Road in Cabramatta West after a car hit a pedestrian about 8.45pm last night. Emergency services arrived and found a 59-year-old man with wounds to his head — police say the man had also been hit by a car.

Police say the driver, 75, intentionally hit another man, 59, with his car, before getting out and repeatedly hitting him with an axe.

Paramedics treated the younger man, but he died at the scene. He has not yet been identified.

The elderly driver has now been charged with murder.

He was arrested at the scene and an axe, believed to have been used in the attack, was seized.

After allegedly hitting the man with his car police believe the 75-year-old driver and 59-year-old pedestrian started fighting. Police allege the older man took an axe from his car and used it to attack the younger man.

Police won’t comment at this time on why the man had an axe in his car.

Police say the two men were known to one another.

“Look, all I can say is they are known to each other and there are some issues surrounding that,” he said.

At least one neighbour came out onto the street and encountered the bloody scene, which Acting Inspector Mitch Corfield described as being “quite a violent incident” and “very confronting for them”.

A neighbour intervened after witnessing the incident, saying he tackled the older man who was trying to run away.

“He had an axe on his side. When I tackled him I saw the axe and I just threw it away,” he told 2GB.

The 75-year-old man was taken to Fairfield police station where he assisted police with their inquiries.

Police expect to lay charges after the man undergoes further questioning.

He was then transferred to Liverpool Hospital for a medical condition unrelated to the fight.

Emergency services treated the 59-year-old, but he died at the scene.

“A crime scene continues to be examined by specialist officers, and detectives from Fairfield City Police Area Command have established Strike Force Pierson to investigate the incident,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.