SPREE CHARGES

A ONE- MAN crime rampage that terrorised Townsville saw a man stabbed, three cars stolen and ended in a head- on crash, police will allege.

About 7.30pm on Friday, police were called to a house in Dalrymple Rd to reports a break- and- enter had resulted in a man being stabbed.

Emergency services arrived to discover a 23- year- old man with a single stab wound to his abdomen.

Townsville Criminal Investigation Branch detective Sergeant Tony Flanders said a struggle between the victim and the alleged male offender broke out inside the home.

“Police will allege the offender armed himself with a knife, stabbing the victim,” Sgt Flanders said.

The alleged attacker is then accused of stealing the victim’s Mitsubishi Lancer and fleeing the scene.

Sgt Flanders said the car was involved in a head- on crash at the intersection of Hugh and Woolcock streets a short time later.

“Police will allege it’s drove on to the wrong side of the road and had a front- on collision with a Nissan Pulsar,” Sgt Flanders said.

“The accused has gotten out of the car and tried to extract the female driver of the Pulsar by pulling her by her ponytail.”

It is understood members of the public then intervened and pulled the male aggressor off the female.

He tried to flee but was held until police arrived, when he was arrested and taken to Townsville Hospital for observation. Police will allege the man drove to the Dalrymple Rd residence in a car stolen from a woman at the Caltex service station on Riverway Drive, Condon. He allegedly arrived at the service station in another stolen car.

“The actions of the offender were extremely concerning and it’s lucky the outcome was not worse,” Sgt Flanders said. “It would have been an extremely traumatic experience for all of the victims involved.”

A 28- year- old Kelso man has been charged with 24 offences, including unlawful wounding, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, burglary and attempted robbery.

The accused will face Townsville Magistrates Court today.