Placeholder Content Image

Man charged after fatal carjacking rampage on Sunshine Coast

<p>A man has been charged following a shocking carjacking and crash incident that left a young woman dead and several others seriously injured in a violent rampage on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.</p> <p>The chaos began around 12:10pm on Monday when a 41-year-old man allegedly crashed a red Porsche Macan into multiple vehicles on the southbound lanes of the Bruce Highway near the Aussie World theme park in Palmview.</p> <p>Tragically, a 22-year-old woman died at the scene, while the 22-year-old male driver of the Porsche was rushed to hospital in critical condition.</p> <p>According to Queensland Police, the accused then exited the Porsche and approached a white SsangYong Rexton that had stopped to assist. Armed with a gun, he allegedly shot the 62-year-old driver in the arm before stealing the vehicle. The injured man was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with serious injuries.</p> <p>The stolen SsangYong was later found overturned near Forestry Road in Landsborough, roughly 10 minutes away from the initial crash site. Authorities say the alleged offender then commandeered a third vehicle, a grey Mazda 3, from a 16-year-old girl who was on a driving lesson with her parents.</p> <p>The man was ultimately apprehended on Steve Irwin Way in Landsborough. Police recovered a firearm in the Mazda and confirmed he had sustained head and body injuries during the rampage. He remains under police guard in hospital.</p> <p>On Tuesday, Queensland Police confirmed that the man had been charged with 15 offences, including dangerous driving causing death and armed robbery. He is scheduled to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court.</p> <p>Three crime scenes have been established – one at Palmview and two in Landsborough – as investigations continue. Police have urged any witnesses to come forward, with hundreds believed to have seen the dramatic and deadly series of events unfold.</p> <p>“He came around the back of us, and almost cleaned up the back of our car, with our daughter in the back of it,” witness Joshua Strachan <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/footage-of-man-running-with-gun-surfaces-after-deadly-carjacking-rampage-near-aussie-world-on-queenslands-sunshine-coast-c-18446421" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told 7NEWS</a>, describing how close his family came to being caught in the chaos.</p> <p>Authorities say further charges are likely as the investigation progresses.</p> <p><em>Images: 9 News / 7 News</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

"I was shaking": Grandmother targeted in horrifying carjacking

<p>A Melbourne grandmother has been left "terribly shaken" after she was targeted in a carjacking in broad daylight. </p> <p>Fay Elisha, 76, had been doing her shopping in Malvern, in Melbourne's south-east, on Monday afternoon when she noticed an "agitated" man who was heckling a group of construction workers. </p> <p>When she got in her car to leave the shopping centre, the grandmother said she was startled when the man began to run towards her and yelled at her to get out of her car. </p> <p>“My eyes froze, my feet froze, I just stood there,” she told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/news/melbourne-grandmother-caught-up-in-terrifying-carjacking-in-malvern--c-14663082" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em>. “I just did as I was told, got out of the car, terribly shaken."</p> <p>“He got me by the T-shirt I was wearing, around the neck and just pulled me out because I wasn’t going fast enough.”</p> <p>The carjacker took off in Ms Elisha's Lexus, with witnesses capturing the moment the car rammed other cars on the street that were in the way. </p> <p>Shaken from the incident, Ms Elisha headed into her regular dentist surgery, which is across the road from where the incident occurred, where she was comforted by staff. </p> <p>“I was shaking inside the dental surgery,” she said. “They (the staff) really looked after me.”</p> <p>Police were able to track the carjacker's journey thanks to Ms Elisha's phone, which had been left in the car, which led officers just 2.5km down the road where the offender abandoned the car and tried to break into a home. </p> <p>Elisha said the ordeal was “horrible” and “frightening” but that she was thankful her grandchildren weren’t in the car at the time.</p> <p>“That would’ve been the worst-case scenario for me,” she said. “That would’ve been horrendous.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Terrifying moment Matildas soccer star carjacked live on air

<p>A former Matildas player was the victim of an attempted carjacking while being interviewed on national radio.</p> <p>Elissia Carnavas was speaking to Simon Hill on SEN Radio's The Global Game on Thursday night when she suddenly started to scream before the line dropped out.</p> <p>Carnavas, who is a weekly guest on the program, was mid-sentence when she suddenly started screaming as the men surrounded her vehicle.</p> <p>Hill described the ordeal as the 'most terrifying' of his career but confirmed Carnavas was safe and well after the horrific incident.</p> <p>"Shout out to Elissia Carnavas who had an awful experience tonight live on air as thieves attempted to hijack her car. Thankfully, she got out of that situation and is fine," he posted to Twitter.</p> <p>"The most terrifying moment of my career that's for sure, and we're just relieved she's ok."</p> <p>The radio station also put out a statement confirming the situation and reassuring listeners she was okay.</p> <p>"To all who heard Elissia Carnavas on-air, she is okay," the station said in a brief statement.</p> <p>"A scary situation which she has managed to get herself out of. We thank everyone for their concern."</p> <p>Listeners were quick to post about the confronting incident online, with many saying Elissia's screams made their "blood run cold" and the situation was "about as horrifying as it gets".</p> <p>One listener said on Twitter, "Credit to Simon Hill and the Global Game team for handling that moment as well as you can and hopefully [Elissia] has all the support she needs."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / LinkedIn</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Our Partners