Hit-and-run driver found guilty
The State's case was presented by Senior State Prosecutor Rubeun Judnarain.
South Coaster David Goodman was found guilty on six counts arising from a hit-and-run accident in Umtentweni on the evening of September 1, 2018.
Matric pupil Yamkelo Mdewuka (17) died as a result of the motor vehicle collision. Senior Magistrate Basil King handed down judgement in the Port Shepstone Regional Court recently.
Goodman was represented by Advocate Shane Mathews and instructed by Christo van Vuuren.
The State’s case was presented by Senior State Prosecutor Rubeun Judnarain. The first count of the six, related to culpable homicide.
Counts two to five related to offences in terms of various contraventions of section 61 (1) of the National Road Traffic Act, namely failing to ascertain nature and extent of injuries sustained by any person; failing to stop; failing to render assistance to an injured person and failing to report and produce his driver’s licence and ID within 24 hours after the incident.
Count six was defeating the administration of justice where the State alleged Goodman falsely reported that he was involved in an accident and that he had collided with a signpost.
On March 2, 2020 Goodman pleaded not guilty to all six counts but admitted in terms of section 115 (2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act (Act 51 of 1977) that on September 1, 2018 the R102 was a public road in this regional division.
The State’s evidence said Mdewuka was found by a member of the public on the side of the R102 on Southport/Sea Park side or northern side of the Tweni bridge on the evening of September 1, 2018.
His skateboard was also found there, as well as the flip-flops he was wearing.
He was taken to a local hospital by ambulance and later that same night to St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban where he was operated on.
He died four days later, on September 4. According to the State, there was no eyewitnesses to the incident, and Goodman did not give evidence.
Goodman did however make a report to the Southport police on September 1, of being involved in an accident on the Port Shepstone side, or southern side of the Tweni bridge and indicated in his report that he had struck a signpost.
Subsequent investigation by the police determined that no damage to any signpost was visible on any of the signposts on the southern side of the Tweni bridge.
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