Police update: Armed offender, Wide Bay

A 23-year-old man has faced a bedside hearing on 26 charges following a series of alleged violent car thefts in the Wide Bay before leading police on a pursuit to the Sunshine Coast on July 10.

Police will allege that on July 10 around 6.25am a man was forced out of his Holden Colorado ute on Watson Street in Hervey Bay by a man armed with a knife.

The man allegedly drove the vehicle to Tinana in Maryborough where he discarded the ute just after 7.30am.

He then allegedly broke into a home on Three Mile Road West just before 8am where he demanded a vehicle belonging to a woman inside the residence.

The owner of the car, a woman aged in her 30s, refused to comply and sustained a stab wound to her hand during a struggle with the man.

The man allegedly produced a firearm and discharged a number of shots before fleeing the scene.

It is further alleged the man then went into another home on River Road and demanded a vehicle belonging to a male resident.

The owner gave the man his keys who then fled in a white sedan.

The vehicle travelled south from Maryborough at speed along the Bruce Highway before it was sighted crashing through roadworks south of Tiaro.

Police then continued to track the vehicle as it proceeded south through Gympie and along the Bruce Highway through the Sunshine Coast.

At 10am the vehicle was intercepted on the Bruce Highway at Parklands where specialist police discharged their firearm at the armed man during a confrontation.

The man was also struck by a passing vehicle during the incident.

He was transported to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a critical condition.

The man remains at Sunshine Coast University Hospital where his condition is now listed as stable. He had the matter heard on July 25.

Police have charged a 23-year-old Eli Waters man with two counts each of armed robbery using personal violence, attempted armed robbery, serious assault police whilst armed with a weapon, dangerous conduct with a weapon, dangerous operation of a vehicle whilst affected by an intoxicating substance, enter dwelling with intent, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and driving unlicensed.

He has also been charged with one count each of assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed, wounding, authority required to possess explosives (ammunition), drink driving, possession of a knife in a public place, unlawful possession of a weapon, attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle and evasion.

He has been remanded in custody to reappear on August 30 in Maroochydore Magistrates Court via video link.

The Ethical Standards Command has commenced a critical incident investigation into the police response with oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.

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