A motorist who responded to a routine inspection on the Garden Route by overpowering a traffic officer and shooting her in the face with her gun is facing a charge of attempted murder.
The man then fled on foot, shooting at pursuing officers in the town of George early on Friday.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the traffic officer pulled over a grey Audi A4 vehicle on the bridge in Beach road that crosses the N2 near Pacaltsdorp, George,” said police spokesperson Capt Malcolm Pojie.
The officer approached the vehicle to conduct a routine inspection but was overpowered and disarmed.
“The suspect then fired several shots at her, hitting her in the face. She was later transported to hospital with serious injuries,” said Pojie.
“Fellow traffic officers and George law enforcement officers in close proximity witnessed the ordeal and came to the rescue of the officer. The suspect left his car behind and fled on foot in the direction of the Pacaltsdorp industrial site along the N2 highway while taking several shots at the officers in pursuit.”
More shots were fired when the driver was cornered by a railway line. The suspect was wounded in the right arm and left knee.
Police found two more firearms with loaded magazines in his possession and an undisclosed sum of cash.
“These firearms were confiscated and will be sent for ballistic tests to determine whether they could have been used in the commission of other or similar criminal offences. The vehicle was also confiscated as evidence. The motive for the incident is still to be established,” said Pojie.
The motorist is receiving medical treatment under police guard.
He is due to appear in the George magistrate’s court on Tuesday on charges of attempted murder, theft of a firearm and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
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