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A man is under police guard in hospital after an hour-long standoff at Wollongong Hospital where it’s alleged he doused himself and a car in petrol and threatened to set it alight.
The man was arrested at Wollongong Hospital after the standoff – it’s alleged he rammed three police cars trying to escape and did a burnout at the hospital during the incident.
Wollongong Police District’s Detective Acting Superintendent Chad Gillies said the scene was extremely volatile.
“The male in question, [police] will allege, was acting in an extremely aggressive manner and was certainly agitated,” Acting Superintendent Chad Gillies said.
He said members of Fire and Rescue NSW were on site to assist police and doused the man in water upon arrest to minimise the risk of ignition.
The incident began just before 9pm when a dog squad vehicle attempted to stop a Ford Falcon, which was observed without number plates travelling north on the Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail.
The vehicle had also been reported speeding and veering between traffic, police said.
The vehicle failed to stop for police and a pursuit was initiated, which continued north, entering the Wollongong CBD.
The vehicle stopped a short distance from the Wollongong Hospital Emergency Department and the driver, a 43-year-old Nowra man, allegedly armed himself with a knife and doused the interior of the car, as well as himself, in petrol.
Police commenced attempts to negotiate with the man. During the operation the man rammed three police vehicles and performed a ‘burnout’.
The reception area of the emergency ward of the hospital was evacuated during the operation.
State Protection Group officers took the man into custody about 10.20pm, during which he sustained minor injuries.
He remained in Wollongong Hospital for treatment under police guard on Monday morning.
Once released, he is expected to be charged with offences relating to the police pursuit, damage to the police vehicles, as well as use weapon to avoid apprehension.