R1 500 for 188km/h, R10 000 for 182km/h

(File picture) Photo: Jennifer Bruce

(File picture) Photo: Jennifer Bruce

Published Jul 10, 2012

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A young man who allegedly told traffic officers he was an “Olympic swimmer” after being arrested for speeding has paid an admission of guilt fine of R1 500.

Adam Hack, 20, and his father David, 55, each of whom had been driving a white Porsche GT3, were arrested near the John Vorster off-ramp in Centurion on Sunday. Adam had been clocked driving at 188km/h and his father at 234km/h.

Hack sr was to appear in the Centurion Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on a charge of reckless and negligent driving, with an alternative charge of exceeding the speed limit.

The father and son were allegedly racing on the N1 north when they were caught by the Gauteng High Speed Traffic Police unit.

Gauteng traffic police spokeswoman Busaphi Nxumalo said Hack jr told the officers he was an Olympic swimmer. He was pulled off first, while Hack sr continued speeding.

Of the Olympic swimmer story, Nxumalo said: “I assume he (aimed) to gain some sympathy from the officers. Often motorists will tell lies to (avoid) getting into trouble,” she said.

Asked if an admission of guilt fine of R1 500 was enough punishment for the young speedster, Nxumalo said any motorist who exceeded the speed limit up to 180km/h would be fined between R750 and R1 000.

“As soon as you exceed 180km/h you are arrested and in this case the father and son were arrested and later granted bail,” she said.

“The father was not given the opportunity to pay an admission of guilt fine and we will have to wait and see what happens in court.”

In March, controversial radio presenter Gareth Cliff pleaded guilty to charges of contravening the National Road Traffic Act.

Cliff was arrested by the Gauteng High Speed Traffic Police for driving at 182km/h in a 120km/h zone on the R21.

He was fined R10 000, or six months’ imprisonment.

Asked why Cliff had been fined R10 000 for travelling at 182km/h, and Hack only R1 500 for doing 188km/h, Nxumalo said she could not say.

“That is not for us to say. The court decides what the amount of a fine should be and it can be different for every fine. It is at the court’s discretion.

“It is possible that Hack’s fine was less because he did not appear in court and that amount would then be decided by the arresting officer.”

Meanwhile, an Mpumalanga man was fined R80 000 for speeding, by the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Gauteng traffic police said.

Nxumalo said Andy McCauley, 48, a mine manager from Witbank, had been caught driving at an average speed of 212km/h in a 120km/h zone in a new Ferrari 455 on the N14 towards Pretoria on May 27.

“He was sentenced to (pay) an amount of R80 000 and to two years’ imprisonment, of which half was suspended for two years.”

Nxumalo said the man paid the fine.

“The magistrate clearly spelled out that should McCauley be arrested again for the same offence, the suspended sentence would immediately come into effect,” she said.

Pretoria News

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