A man has been charged with attempted murder after two police officers were seriously injured when they were hit with an allegedly stolen truck in Queensland’s Darling Downs.
The 45-year-old from Oakey faces two counts of attempted murder along with a string of other charges following the dramatic incident north of Toowoomba on Wednesday.
He was arrested after police tried to intercept the Hino truck about 1.30pm.
The driver allegedly accelerated as police tried to open the door of the truck and arrest him, leaving two officers trapped between the commercial vehicle and a police car.
The two detective senior constables, aged 54 and 56, were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Both were in a stable condition on Thursday morning.
The truck hit two police cars a short time later in neighbouring Kleinton and two other officers suffered minor injuries, while the vehicles were extensively damaged.
The man was taken into custody after the truck came to a stop.
The 45-year-old has also been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, and evading police.
He is due to appear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Thursday.
The truck was allegedly one of two vehicles stolen from a property in the nearby town of Oakey in the morning.
Two people in the other vehicle were also arrested and charged with various offences, including unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
They are also due to appear in court in Toowoomba.
The Queensland Police Union on Wednesday said it was providing assistance to the injured officers and their families.
QPU president Ian Leavers praised the quick-thinking officers who provided first aid until medical teams arrived while criticising the “callous disregard” shown for police safety.
“We could have had multiple police killed or critically injured this afternoon,” he said.