Elderly lady in hit-and-run incident

As she was pulling away from the four-way stop intersection in Wilgeheuwel next to Pick n Pay a car hit the side of the 73-year-old Annesta Clarke’s vehicle. Her car spun around and when it came to a standstill, it was facing the opposite direction. The driver of the other vehicle sped off.

Annesta said a delivery driver who was nearby followed the car that hit her and returned with the details. “He hit me on the side and didn’t stop at the stop sign at all. All the air bags popped in the car – he hit me very hard.” In a Facebook post, Annesta’s daughter said the car that hit her mother’s on Wednesday June 9 was a grey Honda with registration YVV 722 GP.

Following the harrowing incident, the 73-year-old went to the Honeydew Police Station to open a case against the driver that had hit her. She said the station had load-shedding but what was truly shocking was the officer’s attitude. “I wanted to lay a charge. The police officer who was writing down all the details said ‘don’t bother’. She said I should just get my insurance claim. She wasn’t having any part of it and she was very indifferent.” She added that her son asked the police if they would look for the hit-and-run driver, “… and they just laughed”.

Annesta is suffering from a sore back and a few bruises. “I got away with my life, and I am grateful,” she acknowledged. “It was such a shock when it happened because he came out of nowhere, but three ladies stopped to check if I was okay just after it happened. One lady stayed with me the whole time.” She admitted that the incident had left her shaken and nervous about driving again. She equally acknowledged the loss of independence and having to rely on other people to get around.