Cape Town – An alleged drunk driver took traffic officers on a wild chase in the Ottery area early on Monday morning.
After a high-speed chase, where the motorist clocked in excess of 180km/h, he was charged for various offences, including resisting arrest and reckless and negligent driving.
"A traffic officer spotted the driver spinning his tyres outside a nightspot near Wetton Road. When the officer activated his lights and siren, the driver of the Chevrolet Lumina sped off, leading the officer on a chase down Plantation Road," said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
"The officer called for back-up and when the suspect noticed more officers approaching from Klip Road, he turned into a side street, hitting the kerb and nearly collided with the wall of a house in the area.
"The driver was arrested for reckless and negligent driving, drunk driving and resisting arrest and taken to the Shadow Centre for testing.
"His vehicle was towed to the Ndabeni Pound as it was causing an obstruction, and the passenger – who was under the influence too – was taken to Lansdowne police station.
"This incident could have ended very badly and it is a miracle that no one got hurt. The officer who was chasing the suspect indicated that he drove at very high speeds on roads that are essentially in residential areas.
"And like so many similar instances before, instead of a drunk-driving charge, the suspect will now have far more to answer to than if he had simply stopped when approached."
Elsewhere, traffic officers arrested 145 suspects during other enforcement interventions, impounded 122 vehicles and issued 2 760 fines for various offences.
During a Reclaim Warrant Operation in Delft, Kraaifontein and Mfuleni, officers arrested 166 taxi drivers for 739 outstanding warrants to the value of R1 757 950.
The City’s Metro Police Department arrested 57 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Enforcement efforts also netted the following successes:
* 9 suspects for drug possession
* 4 suspects for damage to essential infrastructure, including one suspect arrested for malicious damage to Council property
* 1 suspect for possession of a dangerous weapon
* 3 suspects for reckless and negligent driving
* 1 suspect for theft out of motor vehicle
"We simply cannot allow criminals to take the law into their own hands and rule the streets. Our many successful crime-prevention operations have given us valuable information which will allow us to be more vigilant to get those responsible off the streets.
"This should be a clear message for those who show no respect for law-abiding citizens – crime doesn’t pay – we will stay committed to our enforcement operations and will intensify our efforts where and when necessary," said Smith.
Officers also issued 683 traffic and by-law fines. Apart from arresting suspects, preventative operations were also conducted and Metro Police officers assisted 15 motorists whose vehicles broke down along the N2, R300, Spine Road and Baden Powell Drive.