Car fleeing cops causes highway mayhem
791 A van carrying groceries that was knock down by a speeding car which disobeyed a red robbot at corner Devland Road and the Golden Highway near Freedom Park south of Johannesburg. The speeding car was being chased by the Metro cops. 090613 Picture: Boxer Ngwenya 791 A van carrying groceries that was knock down by a speeding car which disobeyed a red robbot at corner Devland Road and the Golden Highway near Freedom Park south of Johannesburg. The speeding car was being chased by the Metro cops. 090613 Picture: Boxer Ngwenya
Johannesburg - A motorist left a trail of destruction in the Devland area on Sunday morning while trying to flee from Joburg metro police officers.
The officers had clocked the man doing 195km/h in a 120km/h zone.
Metro police spokesman Wayne Minnaar said the man, who was driving a silver Audi A3, was spotted driving at “an excessively high speed” just after the Grasmere tollgate.
A chase took place from the N1 freeway.
The man took the Golden Highway off-ramp and continued driving over 180km/h on the wrong side of the road.
At the robot at the Devland and Golden Highway intersection, he skipped a red light and hit a bakkie that was fully laden with spaza shop supplies.
The bakkie spun several times before tilting over and landing on the passenger’s side.
A wheel came off the bakkie as a result of the impact and flew more than 200m, hitting the bonnet of another car travelling in the opposite direction. The bonnet was smashed in.
The Audi eventually came to a standstill when it skidded and hit a lamppost, not far from where the bakkie had overturned.
The bakkie driver, Serame Mokwena, who was travelling with one other passenger, said he saw the Audi only as it was about to crash into him.
The passenger was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Mokwena sustained no injuries.
He said he was anchored by his seatbelt as the bakkie spun and tilted over.
Mokwena said onlookers had helped them out of the bakkie by removing the windscreen.
Sergeant Johan du Toit, one of the officers who attended the scene, said the driver sustained minor chest injuries and was under police watch at Lesedi Clinic.
He said the driver refused to speak to officers or answer any of their questions.
“Paramedics said he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
“Liquor seems to have been a factor,” Du Toit said.
He said the driver was facing multiple charges for speeding, failing to stop after being instructed to do so by a fully uniformed officer, negligent and reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and attempted murder.
The Star