A man has been charged after an erratic 40-minute rampage on the Hume Highway on Saturday evening during which multiple vehicles were rammed and five people, including two children, were assaulted.
Police claim a 33-year-old man stole a silver Toyota Camry from Marrickville on Saturday and drove it down the Hume Highway towards Goulburn, deliberately ramming multiple vehicles, including a coach carrying passengers.
They said they began receiving reports about a Camry about 6pm, as it travelled towards Berrima, and about 6.30pm they attended the scene of a two-vehicle crash at Sutton Forest, where they were told a silver Camry had crashed into a Tesla.
The Camry driver allegedly fled the scene after assaulting the man driving the Tesla and the Tesla’s passengers, a woman and two young girls.
Paramedics treated the Tesla occupants for facial injuries and they were taken to Bowral Hospital for further treatment.
Ten minutes later, police responded to another incident on the highway, where a Camry had allegedly crashed into a fifth vehicle near Paddys River.
A nearby off-duty officer then stopped at the scene and allegedly chased the 33-year-old man, who assaulted the officer multiple times before he was arrested.
The man was taken to Southern Highlands police station and then to Campbelltown Hospital under police guard.
Upon discharge, he was taken to Campbelltown Police Station, where he was charged with 12 offences including destroy or damage property, take and drive a conveyance without the consent of the owner, aggravated assault with intent to rob, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, negligent driving, refuse breath test and assault a police officer causing actual bodily harm.
He was refused bail and will appear at Campbelltown Local Court on Monday. The man’s driving licence was also suspended.