A member of the South African Navy has been arrested following a collision in Simon’s Town, where he allegedly crashed into another vehicle while driving under the influence, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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The incident occurred last Saturday morning on Main Road when the navy employee, driving an Audi A3, reportedly lost control of his vehicle due to intoxication and excessive speed, colliding with a Suzuki driven by a 39-year-old woman, identified only as Katrina.
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Katrina, who was travelling with her two dogs at the time, described the collision as violent and sudden, stating, ‘I am very lucky to be alive; I had seconds to react.’
She further likened the scene to a movie ‘where you just see cars flying.’ Despite the severity of the crash, neither she nor her dogs sustained injuries.
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Western Cape Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie, confirmed that the 36-year-old navy employee was arrested and charged with drunk driving.
The man suffered injuries in the crash and was subsequently transported to a military hospital for medical treatment.
The suspect appeared in the Simon’s Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 26 August, where he was granted bail set at R500.
The case has been postponed to 10 December for further investigation, as confirmed by National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
Katrina expressed her dismay at the bail decision, given the extent of the damage to her vehicle and the potential risk to her safety.
She called on the South African Navy to address the conduct of its personnel, particularly on the roads, stating, ‘This incident should be a wake-up call for the SA Navy.’
The South African Navy told News24 that it will take appropriate action once all details of the incident have been confirmed and an official media response has been prepared.
This case follows a previous incident in 2023, where another navy employee was arrested for reckless and negligent driving in a collision involving two cyclists.
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Picture: Artyom Kulakov / Pexels