A POLICEMAN and a traffic officer failed to arrest a drunk driver who rammed into another vehicle, injuring a passenger and causing R60 000 damage.
This is according to Richards Bay resident and CPF member, Mario Hibbers, who says his complaints to the City and SAP have yielded no results.
‘On 24 July, a Nissan Hardbody hit my wife’s VW Tiguan from behind on Premium Promenade while she was waiting at a traffic light.
‘Her passenger sustained a neck injury.
‘The driver was clearly intoxicated and smelled of alcohol.
‘He refused to give me his driver’s license for details and became abusive and aggressive.
No blow
‘A policeman arrived, questioned the driver, placed him in the back of his vehicle and said the man did not have a driver’s license.
‘The officer took his details down and gave them to me.’
Next, a traffic cop arrived, but allegedly told Hibbers he could not take the driver to Ngwelezane for a blood test if he did not first administer the breathalyser, which he did not have.
Hibbers’ wife reported the accident, but days later, they discovered the driver had made no accident report and was never arrested.
The identity number and employer’s details, were false.
‘This driver was under the influence, caused an accident, injury, damage and got away scot free with SAPS and a traffic officer on the scene.
‘The reason why there is so much carnage and lawlessness today, is because of such situations,’ Hibbers says.
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SAP Communications Officer, Capt Debbie Ferreira, said the matter is being dealt with as a formal complaint and booked out to senior management for investigation.
‘Complaints against members are viewed in a serious light and should it be found that the member acted negligently, departmental and criminal steps will be taken against him.’
Local criminal attorney, Yolanda Gielink said, ‘Breathalyser results have been ruled unreliable by the Western Cape High Court years ago.They have no evidentiary value.
‘If a person is suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, judged on how he looks and acts, he can be arrested, charged and taken to Ngwelezana Hospital for blood tests within two hours of arrest.’
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