Johannesburg - A female Joburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer was choked and nearly beaten to death after she stopped a fitness trainer for driving his Volkswagen Jetta recklessly.
The officer from the K9 Unit was rescued by a passing e-hailing taxi driver and Fidelity ADT security personnel.
Recounting the metro officer’s ordeal, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said that the frightening series of events leading to the assault began on Saturday night.
The officer was on routine patrol at Eloff Street extension in the south of Joburg when she noticed a VW Jetta being driven recklessly at a high speed.
The vehicle was coming from the Rossettenville direction travelling towards the Joburg CBD at about 10pm.
The driver jumped red traffic lights and almost bumped into a JMPD patrol car.
The officer in the patrol car had to swerve to avoid being crashed into by the speeding vehicle.
“A chase then ensued and the officer managed to stop the vehicle at the intersection of Baldwin Road and Eloff Street Ext in Village Deep,” said Fihla.
The driver of the Jetta reversed dangerously towards the patrol car and again the officer had to take evasive action.
“She stepped out of her vehicle and instructed the driver, a white male, to wait as she called for back-up,” added Fihla.
He said, as the officer walked back to the patrol car, the man suddenly grabbed the female officer from behind and started choking her.
When she was going limp, the enraged fitness trainer lifted the officer high up and then threw her to the ground.
Fihla said the man kicked the officer in the face while she was down. He swore at her using racist and offensive words.
A passing e-hailing driver witnessed the attack and intervened. He was later joined by Fidelity ADT Security personnel.
Together they managed to restrain the 24-year-old fitness trainer.
He has been detained at Johannesburg Central Police Station and faces multiple charges including attempted murder, assault grievous bodily harm (GBH), resisting arrest, and reckless and negligent driving.
The female officer was left with serious injuries to her head, eye and shoulder.
She was taken to Milpark Hospital. Commenting on the assault, JMPD management condemned the attack on the officer.
“We hope that this arrest will set an example that unwarranted attacks on police officials and women will not be tolerated,” the JMPD.
The metro police department wished their injured officer a speedy recovery.
Bulrushes.com