A critical incident investigation is underway after a man died following multiple incidents involving a rammed police car, a stolen truck and a stabbing throughout Sydney’s southern and south-west suburbs.
The incident began when police attempted to stop the driver of a 4WD, not displaying number plates, on the Hume Highway at Bass Hill shortly before 3pm (Friday 4 January 2019).
The 4WD rammed the police vehicle and drove east towards Chullora, where he dumped the 4WD and stole a small supermarket delivery truck from Waterloo Road.
That truck was then driven south on Roberts Road into Wiley Avenue and King Georges Road with a number of other vehicles hit along the way.
About 3.10pm, the truck stopped after it was involved in a crash with several vehicles in West Botany Street, Rockdale, near a hardware store.
It’s believed the driver then got out of the small truck and was attempting to take possession of another vehicle when another man was stabbed. The man stabbed was a by-stander.
The driver then confronted a taxi driver and stole his vehicle. The taxi driver was not harmed.
The man then drove the stolen taxi to Forest Road, Arncliffe, where he got out of the taxi and was confronted by further police about 3.30pm. He then produced a knife and commenced to inflict wounds upon himself in the presence of police.
Police rendered first aid; however, the man died at the scene.
A critical incident team will now investigate all circumstances surrounding the incident, and that investigation will be subject to independent review by LECC.
A brief will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
The man stabbed in West Botany Street is in a serious but stable undergoing surgery in St George Hospital.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.
