Two men have been charged after allegedly stealing multiple vehicles and causing a series of crashes at a busy Brisbane intersection, before one of the stolen cars crashed through the wall of a hospital carpark.
Emergency services were called to the intersection of Gympie Rd and Mermaid St, Chermside about 11:46am on Saturday, after a grey Cupra Formentor had allegedly been stolen by two offenders.
The Cupra Formentor was then involved in a crash at the major intersection of Gympie Rd and Rode Rd, Chermside.
One man allegedly fled the scene on foot, before his accomplice jumped behind the wheel of a black Mercedes-Benz sedan and crashed into a red sedan as it drove through the intersection.
Witness Bridget Hughes was shocked at what she saw unfold right in front of her.
“I saw the ute going when they had a green light, then an SUV came speeding through out of nowhere and ploughed straight through the front of them,” she said.
“That wrecked the SUV so the occupants got out of the SUV and started running in different directions, one ran and jumped over the cars sitting in traffic, one ran across the road, and one jumped into the black sedan sitting at the lights and sped off.”
A short time later, the Mercedes-Benz then returned at speed to the intersection of Gympie Rd and Rode Rd, where it mounted a footpath and sent pedestrians running for cover, before it sped through the middle of the intersection and onwards on to Rode Rd.
A Chermside cafe worker said people near the cafe had to jump out of the way of the black sedan as it drove up the footpath.
“He came up the embankment near the cafe and nearly came close to hitting two people, and then sped away again back towards the Prince Charles (hospital),” she said.
“I think about two or three people had to jump out of the way.
“They were quite frightened, very shaky, couldn’t really believe this was happening.
“Everyone is OK, thankfully, but just very shaky.”
After it sped through the intersection, the Mercedes-Benz drove onwards to the Prince Charles Hospital, where it entered the multi-level carpark and crashed through the wall of level two about midday.
Shortly afterwards, one of the offenders, alleged to be a 19-year-old Park Ridge man, was taken into custody at the hospital.
About 20 minutes later, the second offender, alleged to be a 22-year-old Zillmere man, was located at a residential address at Foundation St, Chermside and taken into custody by police.
The Park Ridge man was charged with one count each of armed robbery and unlawful use of motor vehicle.
The Zillmere man was charged with one count of unlawful use of motor vehicle in company.
Both men are due to appear at Brisbane Magistrates Court on October 19.
Despite the carnage, police confirmed no members of the public – including those involved in the crashes – reported any serious injuries.