TODAY A YEAR AGO: R21 accident: Glen Marais dad and his daughter narrowly escape
The R21 north was closed for most of the day
This article was the top headline on June 28 last year.
“FOR a moment the truck driver and I looked each other straight in the eye.”
“And then all hell broke loose.”
Talking is a Glen Marais father who witnessed the multi-vehicle accident on the R21 on Saturday morning, and who was lucky enough to escape the carnage and possible death.
Also read:
• LATEST: A ‘very drunk’ driver and not pedestrian caused deadly R21 truck crash
Two people were killed and seven others injured in the pile-up involving two trucks and three cars at around 10am on the R21 north at the Atlas Road turn-off.
The R21 north was closed for most of the day.
The man, who prefers not having his name mentioned, was with his 13-year-old daughter in the car when he noticed a truck bursting through the barriers, coming straight for his vehicle. He was able to take evasive action but two other cars and a truck, travelling in the opposite direction, were unfortunately hit by the heavy, out-of-control vehicle.
“I witnessed how a slow moving car in the left lane of the R21 south pulled in front of the truck which was carrying copper plating. As the truck driver swerved to avoid the vehicle, he hit the car in the front, lost control and burst through the barriers. There was nothing he could do,” the witness said.
“The truck collided with the side of the car directly behind me.”
An elderly female passenger sitting in the back of this car was killed on impact. There were three people in this vehicle.
Somehow a bakkie became wedged between the two trucks, killing the driver.
Senior Supt Wilfred Kgasago, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police spokesman, on Monday confirmed a “very drunk” driver was allegedly the cause of the accident.
“I can confirm that the Mazda Etude driver was very drunk and was arrested. Charges of culpable homicide have been added.”
