Taxi accident kills one on Jan Smuts, fleeing driver caught by CAP officers
CRAIGHALL – Cries and sirens can be heard after one person has been killed after an accident on Jan Smuts.
A red minibus taxi crashed into a traffic light on Jan Smuts Avenue near the corner of Waterfall Avenue.
One pedestrian was killed on 13 December at around 4.30pm.
The cause of the accident is still not clear at this stage but it is also alleged that 12 other patients were been treated for injuries.
Joburg Emergency Managment Services (EMS), paramedics, security and Randburg Community Policing Forum were at the scene of the accident.
The wails of witnesses and friends could be heard as they screamed out in shock as they begin to mourn the loss of a friend and colleague.
Metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said, “The taxi driver got out of the taxi and fled the scene on foot.”
Senior Cap officials and a Craighall Residents Association (CRA) member, Wayne Lurie, were attending a meeting at AJ’s in the park.
Cap’s Functional Head Lloyd Broude said, “While standing in the parking lot of Aj’s suddenly there was a lot of screaming, and then one male was seen sprinting down the road and being chased by a vehicle as well as other bystanders on foot.”
A call was placed into the Cap command centre by the quick thinking CRA representative requesting backup and the two Cap officials jumped into the response vehicle to assist. The senior officials managed to assist in the chase and apprehend the suspect. Tactical officers remained with the suspect at the scene of the apprehension while the senior officials responded back to the scene of the accident where they informed Metro they had managed to apprehend the suspect.
Broude explained that a Metro officer together with the Cap officials proceeded back to where the suspect had been apprehended and he was placed under arrest and put into the Metro Police vehicle and transported back to the scene of the crime.
Minnaar added that he has been arrested and detained at Parkview Police Station on charges of reckless and negligent driving as well as a charge of culpable homicide.
This is a developing story, Joburg EMS’s Robert Mulaudzi and Nana Radebe have been contacted, information will be updated once received.
Accidents occur on the same spot twice in four days
Pedestrian knocked down on Jan Smuts in Craighall, major traffic delays
