A high speed chase that ended in bullets concluded at the N3 near Estcourt on Tuesday afternoon. A 21-year-old female driver evaded police and arrest after leaving a filling station in Warden without paying for the R200 petrol she had requested be filled into the Nissan Micra.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel TM Mabaso said that the woman was pursued by police from Harrismith when police received information over the radio that the vehicle was spotted in the vicinity. When the vehicle was spotted, the driver was travelling at a high speed and the highway patrol at Harrismith gave chase. Information was received that the driver had passed the Tugela-Plaza and traffic police had joined in the chase.

As law enforcement officers received the news of the speeding suspect, more manpower joined in and six vehicles were soon on her trail.
The suspect was driving at approximately 180km per hour and a high speed chase ensued. The chase came to an end when the suspect attempted colliding with a SAPS Highway Patrol vehicle, causing traffic personnel to fire shots at the vehicle in an effort to halt it.

Lt Col Mabaso reported that even when the tyres were blown out, the suspect drove on in an attempt to avoid arrest. She was finally stopped on the N3 close to Estcourt where the road had been closed off. “The suspect (21) was then arrested there for Theft of Petrol at Warden and was detained at Estcourt Police Station and thereafter taken back to Warden where the scene of crime is,” commented Lt Col Mabaso.