Police chase closes Sydney Harbour Bridge

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/nov/01/police-chase-closes-sydney-harbour-bridge

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A stabbing in Sydney triggered an hour-long highway pursuit that closed the harbour bridge and ended with an arrest in Surry Hills.

Police were called to a domestic incident in the eastern suburbs on Saturday morning but a man they wanted to speak with drove off before they could stop him.

They spotted the vehicle north of the city about two hours later and chased him along the M5, M7 and M2 highways before slowing him by bursting his tyres with road spikes.

A now low-speed pursuit continued across the harbour bridge into the city.

Hundreds of people looked on while more than 15 police cars tailed him through the city to Surry Hills police station.

Police arrested a 33-year-old man, who left his white BMW with two holes through the windscreen and tyres slashed. Glass from a shattered passenger seat window littered the road.

Onlookers say police put two rubber bullets or tear gas through the windscreen.

“It was just mayhem,” said Walter Williams. “The police cut off the car and shot something into the BMW.”

Mark Lau said gas came out after the shots but the man had looked calm as he drove past with police cars on his tail.

“They were driving slow; he had his tyres slashed and he was just on the phone,” Lau said. “He was pretty calm.”

A 33-year-old woman was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital with multiple stab wounds from the initial incident. She is reported to be in a serious but stable condition.