Cop: I saw blood dripping

2006-06-05 08:35

Borrie la Grange

Johannesburg - A stunned metro police officer had to look on the floor for the tip of his finger after an allegedly drunk motorist bit it off on Saturday evening.

Isaac Mampani followed the motorist to his house after the man fled the scene of an accident in Midrand.

Recounting the ordeal from his hospital bed on Sunday, Mampani said: "A red VW Golf had collided with a Mitsubishi bakkie. We took statements from both motorists.

All of a sudden the driver of the Golf started cursing and became agitated.

"It looked as if he was under the influence of alcohol. He jumped into his car and rushed off."

The officers followed him to his house.

Felt a sharp pain

"When some of the other officers and I stopped him and told him that he was under arrest for being under the influence of alcohol as well as other charges, he started cursing and shouting again.

"We tried to put handcuffs on him, but he grabbed hold of my hand.

"I don't know how he pulled my index finger into his mouth.

"I felt a sharp, persistent pain and tried to wrestle my finger from his jaw, but I just couldn't."

His hand was released all of a sudden and he saw blood dripping. The man spat out a piece of Mampani's right index finger.

The man's wife helped Mampani to bandage his hand and, after he found his fingertip, he drove himself to hospital, where the part was reattached in an operation on Sunday morning.

"I don't understand how an apparently sane person can do something like this.

Last thing he expected

"On top of everything else, he told us he's in the legal profession.

"I've been an officer in the metro police for the past four years and I'm used to wrestling with people under the influence.

"But, I didn't expect that someone would bite me," said Mampani.

The man is expected to appear in court on Monday on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, resisting arrest and assault.

- Beeld