Mother left paralysed after car crash, cop granted bail

A police officer, part of the Durban K9 Unit, has become the subject of a criminal investigation after he allegedly crashed his state vehicle into the bakkie of a young Malvern mother of two, leaving her paralysed and wheelchair-bound for life.

Kubendran Siva appeared in the Verulam Magistrates Court, recently, on a charge of reckless and negligent driving. He was granted bail of R10, 000.

Nishelle Reddy, a 26-year-old transport co-ordinator from Malvern, who is paralysed from her chest down to her feet, will never be able to walk again as her spinal cord was crushed in the collision.

On the day of the accident, Siva was driving his VW Golf- a state vehicle when he collided into Reddy’s bakkie in Cornubia.

At the time of the incident, Reddy had her two children in the bakkie. A distraught Mervin Pillay, Reddy’s father-in-law, told the Rising Sun that the family is devastated and cannot come to terms with the horrific crash. Pillay stated that Reddy can only move her head and hands and is ‘fighting for her life’ in hospital.

He said, “The family is not happy with the court’s decision of granting the accused bail. A police officer is supposed to serve and protect the public, not cause them danger or harm. His reckless driving could have killed my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren. I am disappointed and angry that the court saw it fit to grant him bail. He is a free man, while Nishelle is confined to a bed and will never walk again.”

When asked about the accident, he explained that Reddy was traveling in a Hilux bakkie with her two children, aged five and four, near Cornubia on March 7.

According to witnesses at the scene, the police officer was traveling in his vehicle, when he allegedly overtook a vehicle and then crashed into Reddy’s bakkie.

“The bakkie rolled several times before landing on its side. The children sustained a few scratches. Nishelle was in pain. She could not move her body. My grandchildren were in shock after seeing their mum in that condition. My grandson could not even speak. My granddaughter was vomiting uncontrollably. We rushed all of them to the hospital. To be young and to know that you will never get to run outside with your children or play with them like you used to has left her torn apart. She is an independent person and now we need to enlist the service of a caregiver to help her around the house when she is discharged. We are looking to make the home wheelchair-friendly,” he added.

Provincial police spokeswoman, Cpt Nqobile Gwala confirmed that a case of reckless and negligent driving is being investigated by Verulam SAPS.

“It is alleged that two vehicles collided on the M41. The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene after the accident. Three people sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for medical attention. A 46-year-old man was placed under arrest. He appeared in the Verulam Magistrates Court and was granted bail of R10, 000. The matter was postponed to May 26,” she said.