An elderly man has been charged with high-range drink driving after allegedly smashing into cars and businesses while more than three times the legal limit.
The chaos began just before 9:30pm on Sunday when the driver hit a parked car on Waterloo Road in Greenacre, Western Sydney.
Witness describes terrifying moment
Exclusive footage shows the terrifying moment an out-of-control Toyota Starlet reversed at speed, forcing a pedestrian to run for his life. The vehicle had just smashed into PACE Real Estate Agency, 100 metres up the road, before reversing over bushes and into the shopfront.
Witness Youssef Lahussean described the frightening moment he narrowly escaped. "I closed the shop at 9:20, after I'm going to my car. I see him put in the reverse and going back. I'm pretty scared. I'm running. I'm running that way, the car," he said. "I'm very, very lucky."
Car chased by witness
The dramatic footage shows the car driving forward, this time chased down by a witness trying to open the car door. But before they could stop it, the vehicle reversed again, this time into a fence.
"So he's just missed my wife and kids crossing the crossing and he's been driving on the footpath," resident Ash said. "They are quite lucky and everybody else in the area, to be quite frank. I was surprised he didn't kill anybody. I can see the car's very damaged."
A group of people rushed to check on the driver, waiting with him until police arrived. The car was badly damaged.
Driver arrested and charged
The 70-year-old was arrested and taken to Revesby Police Station where he was charged with high-range drink driving after allegedly recording a blood alcohol concentration of 0.151, more than three times the legal limit.
He was able to walk free on Monday, with locals saying he even came to collect some of his belongings from his car. He is due to face Bankstown Court next month.
