Police were called to the suburb of Worrigee, in the large coastal town of Nowra about two hours south of Sydney, at around 1pm yesterday due to reports of a man being armed with an axe and a hammer.

When officers arrived, the man allegedly threw the axe at a police car, before picking it back up and assaulting a 66-year-old woman who was sitting in her Ford Mustang nearby.

”Police will allege the man hit the woman multiple times with the axe before forcing her out of the car,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.

“The woman was then run over by her own car as the man drove it away.”

The woman suffered several serious injuries to her legs and torso, and is currently receiving treatment at St George Hospital in southern Sydney, where she is in a stable condition.

Police found the stolen Mustang on the Princes Highway about an hour later.

The driver failed to stop and then led police on a wild, high-speed chase almost 50km north, where they allegedly hit a ute, ran out of the car and was held down by bystanders until police arrived.

“The pursuit continued through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong, and Kiama during which the sports allegedly reached speeds of 180km/h in an 80km/h speed zone,” NSW Police said.

“During the pursuit, officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command attempted to utilise road spikes to stop the driver; however, the driver allegedly swerved the vehicle towards a highway patrol officer narrowly missing him and the spikes.

“The pursuit ended after the sports car was seen driving on the opposite side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs, where it collided with a utility before stopping.

“The alleged driver, a 25-year-old man, then attempted run from the scene; however, members of the public held him until police arrived.”

Police arrested the man, who is currently under guard in Wollongong Hospital.

An axe and hammer have been seized by officers.

The driver of the ute was also taken to Wollongong Hospital.