Unintentional drag race ends in injury

The state has opened a case of attempted murder against the police officers involved

A threatening city-wide car chase between police and alleged street racers left one man in a critical condition in hospital.

The city pulsated with the sound of over 20 gunshots as a high speed car chase broke out on Tuesday night starting on New Greytown Road outside Prilla Mills. The K9 unit spotted the cars in an illegal drag race and after failing to pull the drivers over the chase continued to Northdale, proceeded onto the N3 towards the Liberty Mall back toward Eastwood and thereafter ended in the CBD.

Avishkar Sadanan (25) of Allandale was forced to halt after one of many bullets that were fired at him 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 second driver was apprehended around 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 who followed the police as they chased Sadanan.

They 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.

“Thorough all the way they were shooting. Avishkar may be reckless but the police were more of a danger by firing bullets in all directions throughout town” said Reddy. Roughly 18 bullet holes were found on Sadanan’s Golf.

The driver of the second vehicle, Nadeem Kader, appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court. 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.