Hit and run takes an unexpected twist
It is believed that the driver of the stolen Toyota, which was involved in a collision, had traveled through the night in order to get the vehicle closer to the border so that it could disappear without a trace.
A COLLISION on the bypass that goes over the Melmoth road on Sunday morning revealed a far more sinister twist in the tale when one of the vehicles turned out to be stolen.
Chris Marais from JVS Towing responded to the call for a ‘hit and run’ at approximately 9am, where a silver Toyota Hilux Dakar double cab bakkie allegedly skipped a stop street and collided with another vehicle.
When emergency services and the relevant authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered a family of three in the other vehicle, who had sustained minor to moderate injuries in the collision and were covered in paint, after a tin of paint that was being transported in the vehicle, exploded during the course of the collision.
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The driver of the double cab had fled the scene, possibly injured, due to traces of blood found in the abandoned vehicle. Upon inspection, it was noted that the license disc and the number plates of the deserted bakkie matched and they were traced by traffic officers to a vehicle in Empangeni. The owner of the vehicle was contacted, but it turned out that her vehicle had not been stolen and was parked safely at home.
It was then discovered that the VIN number and the License disc did not match and NetStar was called in to trace the VIN number, which was traced back to a vehicle which had been stolen in Meyerton the previous day between 8am and 6pm.
It is believed that the driver of the stolen Toyota had travelled through the night in order to get the vehicle closer to the border so that it could disappear without a trace.
Chris Marais from JVS Towing warns motorists to exercise caution when travelling at night, especially along the Paulpietersburg/Kambula road and the Melmoth road.
“The fences in these areas have been stolen and the cows make their way onto the roads at night to find warmth,” he warns. “We have attended to two incidents over the weekend where cars were written off because of cows laying in the road…”
