Illegal Street Race Kills 8 Year Old & Others In SA
An 8-year-old boy was killed and several people were injured when a vehicle drove into a group of pedestrians during an illegal street race in Daveyton, Gauteng.
The incident resulted in residents attacking the driver.
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said the incident happened on Sunday night when a vehicle hit a group of people on the corner of Simunye Street and Madikizela Drive in Etwatwa.
“It is alleged that a white Toyota Etios and a white Nissan 1400 were engaged in an illegal drag race when the driver of the Toyota Etios lost control of the vehicle and collided with a group of children and adults, between the ages of 8 and 37 years, who were walking on the sidewalk,” said Thepa.
The 8-year-old boy died on the scene. Two 12-year-old boys who sustained minor injuries were transported to the nearest hospital. Three other pedestrians – aged 12, 30 and 37 – were treated for shock by emergency services, said Thepa.
The driver of the Toyota Etios, believed to be in his 50s, was attacked by residents, who also torched his vehicle. He was transported to the nearest hospital for treatment, said Thepa. The driver of the Nissan 1400 fled the scene on foot. His vehicle was also set alight.
“Members of the EMPD Etwatwa precinct arrived on the scene to restore order. The remains of the boy were taken to the Springs Mortuary, and a docket of culpable homicide was opened by the EMPD at the Etwatwa police station,” said Thepa.
“The EMPD urges members of the community to report illegal street racing to the authorities immediately and to refrain from taking the law into their own hands,” Thepa added.
