Cape Town - A high speed car chase left three suspected criminals dead and three innocent bystanders injured on the M3 in Constantia on Wednesday afternoon.
Police have confirmed that before the crash, four men burgled a house in Diepriver. While they were fleeing the scene, they were recognised by a private security company, which gave chase along the highway.
“They were spotted and pursued by personnel of a private security company, which led to a high speed car chase,” said Saps spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut.
“On the M3 the suspects drove their Toyota Corolla on the wrong side of the road and collided with two oncoming vehicles.”
The driver of the getaway car lost control, according to ER24 spokesman Russel Meiring, and rolled the car into oncoming traffic, smashing into two vehicles.
ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene, together with other services, to find one car lying overturned in the middle of the road, a second car lying on the side of the road, and a third wreck which had come to a stop in the middle of the highway.
“On inspection of the vehicle of the side of the road, paramedics discovered four men lying trapped,” Meiring said. “Unfortunately, three men had already succumbed to their multiple, fatal injuries. Nothing could be done for them and they were declared dead on the scene.”
The fourth fleeing burglar was still alive.
“The fourth man, also trapped, was found to have sustained numerous injuries, leaving him in a critical condition,” Meiring said. “Rescue services had to use the jaws-of-life equipment to free the man before treatment could continue.”
The suspect was then taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries, while police searched their wrecked car.
“Stolen house hold items were recovered in the suspects’ vehicle,” Traut said.
Fortunately, the occupants of the other two cars survived the crash.
“The occupants of the other two vehicles, a mother and a child in the one vehicle and a male person in the other vehicle were admitted to hospital with minor injuries,” Traut said.
The accident occurred near the Firgrove turn-off, causing the M3 between Ladies Mile and Tokai to be closed in both inbound and outbound directions.
Traut said the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident are being investigated.
Cape Argus