Durban - In a bizarre chain of events, a truck driver ploughed into an accident scene in Durban at the weekend, allegedly killing a tow truck driver, before stealing an ambulance and trying to get away.
The truck driver jumped into the ambulance and sped off, then crashed into another vehicle nearby, injuring its driver, before being apprehended.
The stolen ambulance has been written off.
The incident happened on the M7 highway near Inkosi Albert Ntuli Central Hospital on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old tow truck driver was busy removing a vehicle which had been involved in an accident when the truck, going towards Umbilo, crashed into his vehicle.
Rescue Care ambulance service spokesman Garrith Jamieson said his colleagues had left the scene of the first accident as no one had been injured. But they returned to assist after the second accident.
“The truck crashed into the tow truck and also damaged the car that was being towed away. The driver of the tow truck died at the scene.
“As we were busy attending to the injured tow truck driver, the truck driver, who had not sustained injuries, jumped into our ambulance and sped away,” said Jamieson.
He said police chased the ambulance, which crashed into a vehicle in Umbilo, injuring the driver.
The truck driver, who was not injured in either of the accidents, was arrested.
“This could only happen in Durban,” said an amazed Jamieson. “Our ambulance was written off.”
Jamieson said the theft of the ambulance did not contribute to the death of the tow truck driver. “He was really critically injured.”
Police spokesman Jay Naicker said the truck driver had been charged with reckless and negligent driving, culpable homicide and theft of an ambulance.
The Mercury