Durban - Moments after Olympic cyclist Burry Stander’s fatal crash earlier this year, his father, Charles, was at his son’s side, desperately coaxing him to stand up.
That is according to Pangitis Stergiopaulos, who said he was first to reach Stander after the accident.
“I don’t think he realised how badly injured his son was,” Stergiopaulos said.
Stander’s mother, Mandy, wept as she listened to the evidence from the gallery.
Stander was killed in an accident in Shelly Beach in January. He was cycling at the time and collided with a taxi.
The driver, Njabulo Nyawose, has been charged with culpable homicide but has pleaded not guilty.
It is believed Nyawose was travelling southbound in Marine Drive when he crossed over a solid barrier line, into the northbound lane and turned right into Stott Street.
Stergiopaulos told the court he was travelling down Stott Street, towards Marine Drive. He did not see the accident, but he did see a taxi turn into Stott Street and, seconds later, Stander lying in the road.
Stergiopaulos rushed to his side.
“I was really concerned about him,” he said.
A few moments later, Stander’s father arrived.
“I tried to stop him - his father - from moving him. I told him we had to wait for the emergency guys to come.”
More than 25 minutes later, Stander’s fingers started to go blue, Stergiopaulos said.
“Then we tried to move him a little.”
According to the witness, it was only then that Nyawose came to where Stander lay.
He mentioned that he was in a rush and asked if he could leave, then Charles became “very upset” and started shouting, Stergiopaulos said.
“He (Nyawose) said he had done nothing wrong, he had just turned.”
Stergiopaulos was disturbed by the accused’s “lack of remorse.”
During cross-examination Nyawose’s lawyer, Xolile Ntshulana, put it to Stergiopaulos that his client was the first person to reach Stander after the crash, but the witness maintained that that was not the case.
On Tuesday the court heard evidence from forensic pathology expert Lindani Nyawose (no relation) who carried out a post-mortem. The cause of death was “multiple blunt force traumas”.
The trial was adjourned until next month.
The Mercury