Chaos as plucky pair arrest driver

A metro police officer and a member of the public described how they risked their lives as they got “bumped” by a taxi driver trying to escape being arrested after an alleged traffic offence in Heugh Road, Walmer.

Chaotic scenes played out for metro police officer MajorGeneral Frik Terblanche and medical sales rep Justin Ryan as they tried to effect the arrest.

Ryan said he initially did not have an idea what was going on but he later picked up that the driver, believed to be in his 30s, and his aggressive passengers had given Terblanche a hard time in the execution of his duties.

When he saw the commotion, Ryan walked over to see what the fuss was all about.

Suddenly, the taxi driver jumped into his vehicle to avoid being arrested.

“The passengers became very aggressive and started to shout at [us],” Ryan said.

“They said they were going to be late for work. Some of them blocked the officer from arresting the man – using their bodies and the door.”

While the driver was getting ready to speed off, Ryan took a risk and jumped in front of the taxi with his hands raised in a bid to prevent the driver from leaving the scene.

“He deliberately drove and hit me three times with the front of the car. I was shocked.

“I thought I would fall and he would run us over.

“It was very scary. My chest was sore the following morning,” Ryan said.

He said he had witnessed several incidents of reckless driving near Mercantile Hospital and needed to take a stand when the Heugh Road incident unfolded.

Terblanche said the drama started at about 7.30am on Wednesday as he was on his way to work in an unmarked vehicle.

As he was about to turn right into Walmer Boulevard, he noticed a taxi driver who was allegedly driving recklessly.

The driver ignored Terblanche when ordered to stop and instead continued driving up to Fourth Avenue.

“Ryan came to my assistance and tried to help me arrest the driver.

“In the process of trying to flee the scene, the driver bumped Ryan three times with his vehicle and attempted to drive over both of us.

“I am an old traffic officer – there was no way he was going to get away,” Terblanche said.

The charges the man will face include reckless driving, assaulting a police officer, failing to furnish information, and failing to comply with an instruction of a police officer.