Drunk driver drags policeman in roadblock, uMhlanga

A CASE of attempted murder has been opened after an alleged drunk driver dragged a Durban North SAPS officer in a roadblock in uMhlanga on Friday night. The officer sustained several scrapes and bruises and sprained his arm when he tried to pull the driver, who was resisting arrest, out of the vehicle. What’s more police pursued the driver in a high speed chase which ended at Phoenix Trade Centre. The roadblock was held on the M41.

“He was asked to get out of the vehicle and got into a verbal spat with the officers. One of the constables then tried to restrain the driver who drove off with our officer in tow. He was dragged several metres before letting go. He sprained his arm and suffered cuts and bruises but thankfully was not seriously injured. We chased after the driver and eventually arrested him at the Trade Centre,” Capt Raymond Deokaran, spokesman for the Durban North SAPS said.

Deokaran reiterated the message of the zero tolerance approach to drunk driving. In the roadblock on Friday, 11 drunk drivers were arrested which brings the number of drunk drivers arrested in the last five roadblocks to 59. He added there would be more roadblocks leading into the end of the year.

“Too many motorists are still risking their own safety as well as that of other road users by driving their vehicles after they have consumed alcohol. It is truly concerning how common place drunk driving is. We cannot continue to ignore the problem and allow drunk drivers to take to the street. If you’re going to drink, then don’t drive, either take a cab or make some other arrangement to get home