Man runs 10 red lights
2006-03-20 22:57
Johannesburg - A 23-year-old man from Tembisa on the East Rand was arrested early on Monday by a Johannesburg metro police officer after apparently jumping 10 red robots and then driving at more than 200km/h trying to evade the long arm of the law.
When police eventually managed to pull over the man's blue Volkswagen Jetta, the reason for his haste was simple - he wanted to get away from the police.
Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the man was spotted about 03:30 running the first red robot at the corner of William Nicol Drive and Grosvenor Road in Bryanston.
"In spite of the officer's attempts to pull him off the road, he just accelerated," said Minnaar.
"He must have been driving at more than 200km/h because the officer said his speedometer was at this mark, and he couldn't keep up."
Had to stop for other cars
Minnaar said the man raced through nine more red lights in an attempt to escape the metro police.
"The man eventually was arrested on the R101, a short distance from the Allandale Road intersection (in Midrand), when he had to stop for other cars," he said.
"When the officer asked him why he was speeding like that, he apparently said he wanted to get away from the police."
Minnaar said the man had appeared on Monday in Wynberg magistrate's court in Sandton on charges of reckless driving.
"He faces a maximum fine of R24 000," said Minnaar.
"It's unacceptable to speed like that and ignore red lights - no matter what time of day it is."