BULLETS flew on the R61 toll road near Marburg when a taxi driver failed to stop at a roadblock last Saturday.
A high-speed car chase from Marburg to Shelly Beach and back to Marburg via Marine Drive and the R102 was led by Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officers.
Police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Zandra Wiid said that RTI officers were conducting a routine roadblock at about 7pm when the driver of a minibus taxi with Eastern Cape number plates did not comply with the traffic officer’s instruction to stop. “He sped off and traffic officers and police back-up chased after the vehicle,” she said.
The taxi driver drove recklessly, narrowly missing oncoming vehicles and switching direction inn order to get away. After driving to Shelly Beach he drove back to Port Shepstone via Marine Drive.
At Mbango he turned onto the R102 towards Marburg again and took the off-ramp towards Shelly Beach. When he smashed through the toll gate, traffic police shot at the tyres causing the vehicle to stop.
“The driver, however, jumped out and although warning shots were fired, he ran away,” said Lt-Col Wiid. A traffic police vehicle was also damaged.
On Sunday the 35-year-old taxi driver handed himself over to police. He was charged with reckless and/or negligent driving. He appeared in the Port Shepstone Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and the case was postponed to February 15.
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