Cape Town - A traffic officer is recovering from a broken leg after being struck in a hit-and-run incident while responding to a fatal motorcycle crash that killed a driver and a pedestrian.
The motorcyclist and pedestrian died in the collision along the N1 near the Okavango Road bridge near Brackenfell on Sunday.
Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, confirmed the deadly accident, saying another person was also injured.
“According to reports, the motorcycle collided with the pedestrian.
“The 31-year-old motorcyclist and an adult female were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while another female victim was taken to a medical facility for medical treatment,” he said.
“A traffic officer attending to the scene was also injured when he was hit by another vehicle. He was taken to a medical facility for medical treatment.”
The City’s mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said traffic officer was struck while assisting at the scene. He said the officer suffered a broken leg in the hit-and-run incident.
Smith said the driver of the white bakkie that hit the officer fled the scene. Twigg added that the police have opened a culpable homicide case for investigation following the incident. The incident coincides with City law-enforcement agencies arresting 298 suspects over the past weekend on various charges.
According to Smith, traffic officers apprehended 52 suspects, including 36 for driving under the influence, 11 for reckless and negligent driving, and five others for different offences.
“They recorded 56 923 offences, impounded 226 public transport vehicles and executed 2040 warrants of arrest,” he said.
Ward councillor Rhynhardt Bresler said there are several pedestrian bridges and vehicle bridges over the N1, providing safe crossing options for pedestrians.
He said it is an offence for pedestrians to cross a national road other than provided places like bridges.
“There are many factors that can contribute to an accident, speed, negligence, alcohol misuse, etc. I don’t know what the circumstances here were. It is very sad that accidents like this have to happen.
“I will really plead to pedestrians to avoid crossing national roads at places other than safe pedestrian crossings provided for them to cross,” he said.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 0860010111.