Former KZN paramedic taken into custody for New Year’s Eve accident which claimed five

A 39-year-old man who was wanted for five cases of culpable homicide was recently arrested in Port Elizabeth, North Coast Courier reports.

Gino Perez who was working for IPSS Medical Rescue as a paramedic at the time became a wanted man after the emergency support vehicle, which had six occupants, including the driver, as well as a dog allegedly crashed through a barrier and went down an embankment on the R74, also known as Manor Highway on January 1 2019.

Perez was reportedly off-duty at the time and his passengers were not patients. Perez was fired from IPSS after the accident.

Three people died in the accident and two later died in hospital. The deceased were identified as Andile Mbatha, Thulani Radebe, Ishal Singh, Ashly Andhee and Trizayne Moodley.

Perez appeared in the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court on Friday and will remain in police custody.

KwaDukuza SAPS station commander, Brigadier Sbongile Mhlongo applauded members of the KwaDukuza SAPS detectives for working hand in hand with the national prosecuting authority and arresting the wanted man.

“We have worked long hours to ensure the perpetrator would be arrested. We will do everything in our power to ensure that the guilty party remains behind bars for a long time so that the families who have lost their loved ones will receive the justice they deserve. The investigations are on-going, and a case of defeating the ends of justice has also been opened and is being investigated by IPID,” she said.

IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson, Dylan Meyrick, said they were relieved that the case was finally before the court.

“I trust that justice will prevail,” said Meyrick.