JMPD in alleged hit and run
ORANGE GROVE - “Metro police vehicle hit my scooter and left I lying on the ground like a dog,” said a local radio presenter.
The radio presenter claimed Metro police officers did not stop after colliding with him at the intersection of Old Pretoria Road and Arkwright Avenue.
“The traffic lights were green for me and as I was crossing the road two speeding Metro police cars skipped the red traffic lights. My scooter collided with one of the vehicles and I went over the car and fell on the ground. None of the cars stopped… they left me lying on the ground like a dog,” he said.
Marks, who was riding from Wynberg towards Bramley, said he thought the officers were escorting someone or rushing to an emergency, although there were no flashing lights, but felt they should have checked on him instead of just driving off.
Marks said, “No one came close to me until an off-duty paramedic came to my rescue; despite having no equipment he called an ambulance which attended to me.”
He said the alleged hit and run incident had left him with a broken ankle, fractured ribs, and bruises on his arm and shoulder. “How could they run away from a crime scene like that? That shows the people who are supposed to enforce the law don’t respect the law,” said Marks.
Marks added that he spent four days in hospital incurring R50 000 medical expenses and lost about R20 000 income as he is also a plumber. He said he wanted to be compensated for all his losses.
According to Marks, he tried to contact the Metro police several times but he was sent from pillar to post before an internal affairs detective attended to his complaint. “I was eventually attended to by this helpful man who promised to investigate the matter,” he added.
Marks said he would take legal action against the Metro police. He said, “I want to be compensated for the loss; I want the man who hit me to be prosecuted for a hit and run that is a crime.”
Metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said an investigation was underway.
Minaar said, “But there is no time frame on it because it’s not easy, we need to track the vehicles which were patrolling in that area and the one which was on that spot at that time, it’s a complicated investigation.”
