LOWER SACKVILLE, N.S. -- A near cinematic chain of events involving a carjacking with a machete, a high-speed police chase and a dangerous crash into a gas station that left two people injured has landed a Nova Scotia man in jail facing multiple charges.
David Raymond Farrell, 38, was to appear in Dartmouth provincial court Friday to face 18 charges, including robbery with violence, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and mischief endangering life.
"I really was just shocked," said Andrew Estabrooks, who saw some of the drama on his commute home from work.
"I'd never actually seen a high speed chase other than on the news so it was quite surprising."
Halifax District RCMP said the series of events started during the afternoon rush hour Thursday on Highway 101.
They said they received numerous 911 calls about a vehicle travelling eastbound in the westbound lane, forcing oncoming vehicles off the road near Ellershouse, N.S.
The Mounties said what followed next involved a collision, the theft of a vehicle by a suspect wielding a large knife, a high-speed chase the wrong way down a provincial highway, and a crash into a gas station.
Police said a suspect driving a black Jaguar collided with an oncoming SUV and then -- armed with a machete -- forcibly took possession of a Dodge truck and drove east in the westbound lane of Highway 101 towards Lower Sackville.
They said the man was seen driving on the centre line of the highway, forcing oncoming vehicles to the shoulder.
RCMP officers driving police cruisers with lights and sirens on were travelling toward the suspect but as they got closer he drove directly into their path, police said.
Police said the suspect did not stop, continuing past police onto the Beaverbank Connector via Exit 2.
It's at this point that Estabrooks noticed the suspect in his rear-view mirror.
He said it was just around dusk, and although the sun had set he could clearly see a truck trying to pass vehicles, and eventually driving into the oncoming lane to escape police cruisers.
"I was shocked at that point, my heart rate went up a little bit and I was like 'Oh this is a high speed chase,"' Estabrooks said.
"He must have crashed less than a minute later because the crash site wasn't far from there."
Police said the suspect continued at a high rate of speed until he crashed into the front of an Irving service station on Sackville Drive.
Two people inside the service station were injured and transported to hospital by ambulance, but were expected to survive. The driver was uninjured.
Dashcam videos and eyewitness accounts of the incident were shared widely on social media.
Police are asking anyone with videos or photos of the incident to contact their nearest RCMP detachment.
