Police actions defended during high-speed pursuit

Police actions defended during high-speed pursuit.

It was a scene straight out of the movie the Fast and the Furious as a six police vehicles, some of them high-powered rapid response vehicles, embarked on a 45 minute hell-ride through the streets of the city chasing down a suspected illegal drag racer who refused to stop when confronted by the police.

The high speed chase saw police criss-crossing the city in a bid to corner the suspect with the pursuit moving from the CBD to Raisethorpe, Mountain Rise, Eastwood, Panorama, Raisethorpe, Northdale, and then again back into town where police eventually fired a series of shots at the car.

Avishkar Sadanan (25) of Allandale, the alleged driver of the car was forced to halt after one of many bullets fired by the police pierced his abdomen in William Street. It is said that the officers removed Sadanan from the vehicle and he lay on the road side for over an hour before an ambulance arrived to transport him to Grey’s Hospital. He currently remains in a stable condition after surgery to remove the bullet from his stomach.

The driver of the second car was apprehended in the Mountain Rise area.

“We were hanging out in Allandale and we decided to drive to Monty’s Garage in Mountain Rise,” said Sadanan’s friend, Jody Reddy.

Apparently the drivers decided to have an “unintentional race” after their two City Golf’s were parked alongside each other. This transpired around 9pm and the police were parked further up the road and began the chase.

“Avishkar may be reckless but the police were more of a danger by firing bullets,” said Reddy.

Colleagues of the police involved in the high-speed chase reacted angrily to criticism that their colleagues used “excessive” force.

“The policeman having witnessed an alleged crime had the duty to confront the dragsters. Instead of stopping the suspect fled knowing full well he was being pursued by police with sirens and blue lights. He was travelling at an incredible speed and even switched off his lights in an effort to evade arrest. His reckless actions posed an immediate and dire threat to the safety of other motorists, pedestrians and even the many police officers involved in the pursuit,” said the police officer.

The driver of the second vehicle, Nadeem Kader, appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court last week Wednesday. He was bandaged and limping and was let out on bail after being charged with reckless and negligent driving.

Police spokesperson, Major Thulani Zwane, said that the state has opened a case of attempted murder against the police officers involved.

Sadanan’s family has appealed for any witnesses to come forward.