A 22-year-old Casino man is in custody after being charged over the stabbing of an 18-year-old woman in Lismore early on Saturday morning after a dramatic police chase which ended with the man’s car crashing and catching on fire.
About 1.25am yesterday, police were called to Keen Street after reports of an injured woman in a nearby taxi.
When they arrived, they found an 18-year-old woman with multiple wounds to her head and upper body.
Officers drove the woman in the taxi to hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery.
The taxi driver told police he saw the woman being assaulted by a man and intervened. The taxi driver was not hurt as a result of his actions.
The man involved in the alleged attack drove from the scene.
About 1.40am, Casino police noticed a white Daihatsu Charade travelling above the speed limit in Casino.
The pursuit ended after the Charade hit a roundabout at the intersection of Centre and Hare streets and caught fire. The driver ran from the scene and was arrested after a short foot chase.
A knife was found in the Charade and this will be forensically examined.
A 22–year-old man was arrested and was taken to Casino police station.
He was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder and reckless wounding.
The Casino man was refused bail and appeared in Lismore Local Court on Saturday and remanded in custody.
Further charges in relation to the pursuit are expected.