sws4420
05-09-2005, 08:57 AM
Middelburg - A semi-naked 17-year-old high school pupil has been arrested on charges of attempted murder and reckless and negligent driving.
Police arrested the teenager after a wild chase of about 35 minutes in the Middleburg town centre after they surprised him and his 14-year-old girlfriend in a compromising position in his mother's car.
Inspector Lize Coetzee for police said the boy was wearing only a shirt when he was arrested.
The teen didn't have a driver's license and allegedly was under the influence of alcohol.
The drama started when the teen and his girlfriend were spotted in his mother's car on the lawn in front of the Dennesig NG Kerk.
They drew the cops' attention when the car zig-zagged over the lawn.
They raced away, but were again noticed necking near a causeway in a dark, secluded part of the town.
When he noticed the police vehicle, he again sped away.
Driving on the wrong side of the road and skipping traffic lights, he forced motorists off the road, Coetzee said.
He also repeatedly tried to push pursuing police vehicles from the road.
At one stage, police shot out the back window of the car, but it failed to stop the attempted escape.
Even when one of the vehicle's tyres burst, the teen, whose father is a part-time racing driver, continued at 150km/h.
Once the teen left the town centre for a nearby neighbourhood, police managed to force him off the road.
The damaged vehicle eventually cut out after the boy had tried for the umpteenth time to ram a police vehicle off the road, Coetzee said.
Shortly after he was apprehended, several motorists, who had been forced out of the way by the young driver, also arrived and started assaulting the teen. Police had to restore law and order.
The teen has already appeared in court. The case was postponed and he is being held at a centre for juvenile delinquents in Hendrina.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1701661,00.html
Police arrested the teenager after a wild chase of about 35 minutes in the Middleburg town centre after they surprised him and his 14-year-old girlfriend in a compromising position in his mother's car.
Inspector Lize Coetzee for police said the boy was wearing only a shirt when he was arrested.
The teen didn't have a driver's license and allegedly was under the influence of alcohol.
The drama started when the teen and his girlfriend were spotted in his mother's car on the lawn in front of the Dennesig NG Kerk.
They drew the cops' attention when the car zig-zagged over the lawn.
They raced away, but were again noticed necking near a causeway in a dark, secluded part of the town.
When he noticed the police vehicle, he again sped away.
Driving on the wrong side of the road and skipping traffic lights, he forced motorists off the road, Coetzee said.
He also repeatedly tried to push pursuing police vehicles from the road.
At one stage, police shot out the back window of the car, but it failed to stop the attempted escape.
Even when one of the vehicle's tyres burst, the teen, whose father is a part-time racing driver, continued at 150km/h.
Once the teen left the town centre for a nearby neighbourhood, police managed to force him off the road.
The damaged vehicle eventually cut out after the boy had tried for the umpteenth time to ram a police vehicle off the road, Coetzee said.
Shortly after he was apprehended, several motorists, who had been forced out of the way by the young driver, also arrived and started assaulting the teen. Police had to restore law and order.
The teen has already appeared in court. The case was postponed and he is being held at a centre for juvenile delinquents in Hendrina.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1701661,00.html