A Good Samaritan ended up in handcuffs after attacking a hit-and-run suspect. The arrest was one of 213 made by City law enforcement and traffic officers in the previous week.
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Just before 10pm on Saturday, 2 March, law enforcement auxiliary officers responded to a motor vehicle accident along Nelson Mandela Boulevard.
When they arrived, witnesses told them that two motorists had gotten into an altercation before one stabbed the other and fled.
They also stated that, prior to the stabbing, the attacker witnessed a hit-and-run and followed the driver while reporting it to emergency services.
The stabbing victim was treated by officers on the scene until EMS arrived, and the alleged attacker was detained at Woodstock SAPS after returning to the location.
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‘This situation escalated very quickly, where someone who was trying to do a good deed found themselves on the wrong side of the law,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith.
‘We often speak about the importance of public involvement in our efforts against crime and wrongdoing; however, we cannot have a situation where people are taking the law into their own hands. Instead, gather as much information and details about an incident, like descriptions of the people or vehicles involved, number plates and exact location, and relay that to the correct authorities so that they can act on it.’
In general, law enforcement officers made 177 arrests and issued 3 563 notices for various violations in the last week.
Their Traffic Service counterparts arrested 29 drivers for driving while intoxicated and seven for reckless and negligent driving.
Officers also recorded 63 084 offences, impounded 147 public transportation vehicles, and served 1 847 arrest warrants.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre reported 1 939 incidents over the weekend, including 168 assaults, 36 domestic violence incidents, and 64 motor vehicle accidents.
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Picture: Clark Van Der Beken / Unsplash