When Cape Town traffic officer Trevor Daniels swerved off Baden-Powell Drive into a sand dune to avoid a head-on collision, he thought he had saved his life and the life of his companion in the car.
When he realised the car was stuck in the sand and motorists were not stopping, he became panicky.
But when a group of men did stop, panic turned to horror. They killed his companion, a Bellville police officer, and tried to kill him - all for his gun and a cellphone.
On Monday, he told the Cape High Court his life would never be the same again. "A part of me has died," he said.
Melvin Leonard and Carsten Christians pleaded not guilty to two charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one of kidnapping, one of murder, one of attempted murder and two of the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The State alleges that on July 1, 2000, near Wynberg Park, they attacked taxi driver Shaheed Brown and his girlfriend and robbed them of a pair of sunglasses, two jackets, two pairs of Caterpillar shoes and a Toyota HiAce taxi.
Brown and his girlfriend were allegedly forced to drive with their attackers from Wynberg to Philippi.
The State will also allege that the two men drove to Baden-Powell Drive, Strandfontein, where they encountered Trevor Daniels and Elsa Rabia Persens in their Volkswagen Golf, which was stuck in the sand beside the road.
It was in the early hours of a bitter winter morning when it happened. The wind was blowing the sand from the dunes over the road.
Daniels said he and Persens, with whom he had worked, were on their way to Simon's Town.
"Suddenly an oncoming car overtook another vehicle and I had to swerve to avoid a collision. We got stuck in the sand. It was 3am.
"We tried to push the car out, but it just sank deeper into the sand. I picked up some seaweed on the beach to put it under the tyres, but it did not work. The car was stuck.
"We tried to stop a few cars. Nobody wanted to help us. After a while a blue minibus stopped behind us.
"'My broer, wat is fout? (My brother, what is wrong?),' the one guy asked me.
"I told them we were stuck and asked if they could tow us out. They asked if I would pay them. I said I would if they could get us out."
Leonard was standing a few metres away from him.
"My firearm was under the dashboard. I felt that something was wrong. I asked Persens to keep the firearm with her. When I looked up, Leonard was next to me. He held a firearm next to my head."
Leonard told him to get out.
"I looked at Persens. She lifted the firearm. Leonard looked at her. I hit him with her bag. Leonard started shooting wildly. We were struggling. 'Pasop, my broer, the goose het 'n gun (Beware brother, the girl has a gun),' he shouted at Christians. His attention was focused on Persens. He was shouting in her direction.
"While we were struggling. I heard Persens shout and fall. Leonard was the only one who shot. After Persens fell, Leonard lost his firearm. I ran away. They were shooting at me. 'Run, jou ma se poes, run,' they shouted."
Daniels hid in long grass, and then heard the minibus drive off.
He saw Persens lying behind the car. A towtruck stopped and Daniels asked the driver to call the police.
"When I returned to the car I picked up Persens' body. 'Essie, Essie!' I shouted, but she was dead. My cellphone and my firearm was gone. I never retrieved the phone.
"I was in hospital for a month after the incident."
Daniels said he had identified both men in an identity parade. "One doesn't forget the face of a man with whom you have struggled.
"Some evenings I cannot sleep. A part of me has died. Nothing will ever be the same again."
The trial continues. Acting Judge Cecile Williams is presiding.