Hijackers drive over student
2009-10-29 09:49
André Damons
Johannesburg - Hijackers pushed a student under her car and drove over her at least five times, after she tried to fight them off.
Fortunately, Karien Kruger, 21, from Melville broke no legs in the hijacking last week, but she tore a muscle in her right thigh and had to receive several stitches to wounds on both legs.
Kruger is a music student at the University of the Witwatersrand and a part-time waitress.
She stopped at her mother, Lynn Kruger's home in Hurley Road last Wednesday morning. Her car was loaded with music instruments including drums, cymbals and a music stand.
As she opened the car door for her spaniel, Otto, two men pulled her out of her red Golf 1 and jumped in on the driver's side.
"I decided right there it was not their car and all my drums and equipment were in the car," Kruger said on Wednesday.
Tried to stab them
"I jumped back in the car and started stabbing at the men with my knife. I don't think I hit any of them."
She always carried the little knife with her for repairs to her drums.
The men again pushed her out of the car and underneath the vehicle. She grabbed one of them by his pants and held on.
The driver reversed and drove over her. The car then rolled forward and over her again. The hijackers drove over her like this at least five times.
She managed to get out from under the car and stood in the middle of the road. The driver then drove straight for her. She jumped out of the way and then ran after the car before collapsing in the middle of the road, calling for help.
Her mother and some of the neighbours came out and called the ambulance and police.
Her mother said she heard someone screaming but didn't realise at first that it was her daughter.
"Only when I heard 'mom', did I know it was her. She was lying in the middle of the road with blood coming out of her head, nose, mouth and legs. I'm just relieved she didn't break anything."
Always fought for possessions
Police found the car a few minutes later in Lothbury Road, not far from the house, where the hijackers had left it after the anti-hijacking mechanism kicked in. Her cellphone, wallet and passport were gone.
It was later learned that two men who fitted the description, had tried to steal a fellow waitress's car half an hour before the hijacking.
According to Kruger's mom, her daughter had always fought for her possessions.
Two years ago, she chased after a man who had stolen her cellphone from her hand and kicked him until he gave her phone back.
She was able to laugh about the incident on Wednesday, though it was still fresh in her mind.
"I don't like cars anymore," she said. "Every time I hear a car drive off, I get a fright."
- Beeld