A man has been detained and ordered to undergo a mental health assessment after allegedly crashing into a parked car and assaulting police, emergency service workers and bystanders who had tried to help.
The 33-year-old man was charged with a string of offences on Wednesday, July 8, after police, firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the crash at Kotara about 8.10pm.
Officers were told at the scene a ute had lost control and hit a parked car before careening through a residential fence and crashing into a tree.
Bystanders rushed to help, police said, but were allegedly assaulted by the driver.
When police arrived, they and their police dog were also assaulted, officers alleged.
The man was arrested with help from firefighters and paramedics, police said, and the officer was seen by paramedics for cuts to his face.
The man was taken to John Hunter Hospital under police guard, and was charged with seven offences on Thursday evening.
In a Bail Court hearing on Friday, an acting judge ordered that the man be detained in a mental health facility for assessment before returning to court pending the outcome.
