Charges have been laid against a policeman who allegedly tried to ram a motorist off the road.
|||Durban - Charges have been laid against a policeman who allegedly tried to ram a motorist off the road on Fields Hill in a road rage incident that was captured on a cellphone video.
Brett Allan, 31, said he had been driving down Fields Hill with his family on Sunday, May 19, when he saw a truck, which he did not immediately recognise as an SAPS vehicle, that appeared to be out of control on the road. Another motorist, Bell Curve, 56, of Hillcrest, was also making his way down in his Hyundai Getz.
Alan said they had seen a flatbed truck swerving in between lanes. “We thought (the driver) was drunk or asleep, but then we realised that he wasn’t drunk but that he was actually going for Bell’s vehicle. He had locked the brakes and smoke was coming out from the back of the truck,” Allan said.
“He almost pushed the Getz off the road and we thought that the Getz must have done something wrong.”
In his affidavit handed to the police - the Daily News has seen a copy of it - Curve said the truck had tailgated him and then passed him on the left before trying to push him off the road to the right. He said the truck had also tried to ram him off the road as he turned off at the St John’s Road off-ramp.
Allan said the driver of the truck had then jumped out and approached Curve through the window of his car.
“The driver of the flatbed truck started screaming and shouting and going nuts and I got out my vehicle to assist because the driver was very violent and the man was alone in his car.”
Allan said he had pulled the truck driver around and started shouting at him for his alleged reckless driving.
“And then he lost it and I was shouting at him and he at me, and then he lifted up his jersey and showed me his firearm. I put my hands in the air and when he saw he had gained control he pushed me (backwards) into Bell’s car and dented the whole back panel,” Allan said.
The still image from the cellphone video, seen by the Daily News, shows the officer, dressed in plain clothes, with his shirt lifted up to reveal his gun. The Daily News also has a clip of the video which shows the men arguing and the officer pushing Allan and warning him, “I will (expletive) you up… you don’t know me”.
Curve said he had seen the officer push Allan twice into the back passenger door of his car, which was so dented that it would have to be replaced.
Curve and Allan said they went immediately to the Pinetown police station where they opened a case of assault against the officer.
However, the truck driver then walked into the police station, pushed into the queue and started a lengthy discussion with one of the officers on duty, as if they knew each other.
Allan said he had told the policeman on duty that the man was the driver they wanted to open a case against.
“The truck driver… again became aggressive and began screaming and shouting at us,” Curve said.
He said he had then decided to return to the police station the following day to give his statement.
Allan said the policewoman who had taken his statement appeared reluctant to assist him.
“The woman who took my statement could speak English, but she did her best not to understand me and it took forever,” Allan said.
He said he was outraged at the abuse of power shown by the police driver.
“I have never had a firearm presented to me and the scary thing is that the first time it happens it’s by an SAPS member. I would expect it in this day and age to come from a criminal but these are the people who are supposed to protect us. It’s just not cool,” Allan said.
Police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, confirmed that a case of common assault was opened at Pinetown SAPS for investigation and is currently receiving their attention.
Daily News