Police searching for driver of van involved in deadly hit-and-run on M1
HAVE you seen this van?
This is believed to be the vehicle involved in Saturday afternoon’s hitand-run in which a Good Samaritan was killed after he stopped to help a stranded motorist on the M1 freeway.
The accident, which took place before 4pm, was recorded on a passing motorist’s dashboard camera.
By late yesterday, the hit-and-run driver was still at large.
The SAPS confirmed that a case was opened at Bramley police station by the Joburg metro police department (JMPD). “We are investigating a case of culpable homicide,” said Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela.
He said police were looking for the driver and referred further queries to the JMPD.
Metro police spokesman Wayne Minnaar said the police were investigating. The victim’s name was not released. ER24 spokesmen Russel Meiring and Werner Vermaak said a motorist’s car had broken down near the Marlboro offramp in Sandton on Saturday. Another motorist, a middle-aged man who had his family in the car, stopped to help.
“Moments later, a white vehicle collided into him, throwing him into a ditch on the side of the highway. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was declared dead on scene,” said the ER24 team. “Everyone on the scene was clearly shocked about what had happened. According to bystanders, the vehicle continued to drive on.”
A witness later came forward with footage from his dashboard camera.
“Another motorist travelling in the same direction noticed the vehicle hit something but was not sure what had happened (as heard on the video).”
The passing motorist later read about the accident online and realised it was the same incident.
“He shared the video with us, hopefully to help track down the driver of the white vehicle that did not attempt to stop after the collision,” said Vermaak and Meiring.
View the video online at http://youtu.be/f7vCnC07euE. There is a link to it from the ER24 blog at http://blog.er24.co.za