Cop kills himself after crash

2008-09-02 09:10

Nicolize van der Walt

Johannesburg - A police inspector who was possibly responsible for a collision last week in which a young father died, has committed suicide.

Inspector Hennie de Beer presumably shot himself in the head with his service pistol on Monday. It followed only a week after he and Jaco (Slider) Strydom, 31, had been involved in a collision at a four-way stop in Stilfontein town centre.

Strydom was hit from behind while on his Suzuki GSZ-R1000 K7 motorbike. His leg was torn off in the accident and he died moments after the collision, according to a witness.

De Beer, who was only lightly injured in the collision, called in sick on Monday. At about 15:30, an unknown person went to De Beer's room to see how he was. When he didn't open his door, it was broken down. De Beer was found on his bed with a gunshot wound to the head.

De Beer had worked in Stilfontein for the largest part of his police career, before being transferred to Khutsong. He was visiting family in Stilfontein for the weekend and was not on duty when his Opel Astra crashed into the motorbike.

Beeld heard that De Beer was very emotional and depressed after the accident.

'He took the easy way out'

Strydom's widow Magda, 27, told Beeld on Monday night that she didn't know how she felt.

"I don't know what to think. Not one of the De Beers came to give condolences after Jaco's death. He took the easy way out, now he won't carry the consequences. I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive him." The Strydoms had one child, Nicola, 4.

More than 700 people gathered on Friday to say goodbye to Strydom. About 150 motorbikes, mostly from the Brotherhood club of which he had been a member, drove in front of the white hearse to Strydom's final resting place.

Tough bikers wiped away tears while the coffin was lowered to the sound of Amazing Grace being played on a harmonica.

Provincial police spokesperson Captain Aafje Botma confirmed that De Beer was found with a gunshot wound to the head. She said it was still unclear whose weapon had been used in the incident.

De Beer is survived by his parents, a brother and a sister.

- Beeld