A 36-year-old man has been charged after a dramatic sequence of events across western Sydney that police allege involved a pursuit, wrong-way driving on the M4, a collision, a stabbing and the theft of a vehicle while two children were in his care.

The incident began in Belmore when NSW Police attended to conduct a welfare check on the driver. Police said the man allegedly failed to stop when directed, prompting officers to begin a pursuit.

According to NSW Police, the pursuit continued into Auburn but was terminated because of the manner in which the vehicle was being driven. That decision is important because police pursuits are governed by operational risk assessments, and officers can end a chase when the danger to the public is judged to outweigh the benefit of continuing it.

Police allege the man then entered the M4 Motorway and drove into oncoming traffic before colliding with another vehicle. Two children were with him at the time.

ABC News reported that after the crash, the man got out of the vehicle with the children and allegedly tried to steal another car. A 25-year-old man intervened and suffered a stab wound to his hand during a struggle.

Police allege the 36-year-old then stole the vehicle of a woman who had stopped to assist, placed the two children inside and drove away westbound along the motorway.

The sequence ended on the Cumberland Highway at Wentworthville, where the man was arrested by an off-duty police officer with assistance from members of the public. He was taken to hospital under police guard.

The two children were also taken to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Police said they suffered minor injuries and were transported as a precaution.

The following day, ABC News reported that the man had been charged with offences including aggravated robbery with wounding, police pursuit and reckless wounding. He remained under hospital guard at the time of that report.

The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.

The incident attracted attention not only because of the alleged driving but because several members of the public became involved at different stages. Video reported by ABC News showed bystanders attempting to intervene after the crash, while one man later described confronting a person allegedly armed with a small black knife.

That intervention appears to have unfolded in a rapidly changing and dangerous environment. Police had already ended their formal pursuit, a crash had occurred on a major motorway and two children were present. The alleged attempt to take another vehicle then brought motorists and bystanders into direct contact with the situation.

The 25-year-old who was injured was treated after suffering a wound to his hand. The woman whose vehicle was allegedly taken had reportedly stopped to help, highlighting how quickly what appeared to be a roadside emergency became a criminal investigation.

For investigators, the case involves several distinct events that must be reconstructed in sequence: the original welfare check, the alleged failure to stop, the police pursuit, the decision to terminate it, the wrong-way driving, the collision, the alleged stabbing, the alleged carjacking and the eventual arrest.

Police will also rely on multiple forms of evidence. In a case spread across several suburbs and major roads, that can include officer observations, body-worn camera footage, motorway and traffic cameras, dashcam recordings, witness statements, medical evidence and forensic examination of the vehicles involved.

The presence of children adds another layer to the investigation. Authorities will need to establish where they were seated, what occurred during the journey and whether any alleged conduct created further risk to them beyond the minor injuries already reported.

Western Sydney’s motorway network is among the busiest in the country, and wrong-way driving on a high-speed road can create immediate danger for motorists with little time to react. Police said the man drove on the wrong side of the M4 before the collision, an allegation that is likely to form a significant part of the case against him.

The decision by police to end the pursuit before the crash may also receive scrutiny, but the available information indicates the chase was stopped because of the driver’s alleged behaviour. NSW Police pursuit policies are intended to balance the need to apprehend a suspect against the risk that a continuing chase can escalate danger to the public.

That distinction can become important after a major incident. Ending a pursuit does not necessarily end an attempt to locate a vehicle; police can shift to other methods, including coordinated patrols, road networks, aerial support and later arrest, depending on the circumstances.

In this case, the arrest was ultimately made after the vehicle stopped at Wentworthville, with an off-duty officer and bystanders helping to detain the man.

The alleged events also underline the risks faced by members of the public who intervene. Good Samaritans can play an important role in emergencies, but police generally advise people to prioritise their own safety when weapons or violent behaviour may be involved.

ABC News reported that one bystander said the alleged carjacker lunged at him with a knife during the confrontation. That account will be tested as part of the criminal proceedings, alongside police evidence and any available video.

The case has now moved from an emergency police response into the court process. The prosecution will be required to prove each charge beyond reasonable doubt, and the accused will have the opportunity to respond to the allegations.

Further details may emerge as police complete interviews, gather footage and finalise the brief of evidence. For now, the central facts confirmed by authorities are that a man has been charged, two children were taken to hospital with minor injuries, another man suffered a hand injury and several vehicles were involved in a sequence of events across Sydney’s west.

What began as a welfare check in Belmore ultimately became a multi-suburb incident involving police, motorists, bystanders and emergency services. The speed with which it escalated is likely to keep the case in focus as it moves through the courts.