Police are investigating an accident involving this cop van and three other cars.
According to a police source, an officer spotted two cars dicing and gave chase. The cop crashed into one vehicle when it suddenly braked at a stop sign.
But according to another witness, the cop was speeding and crashed into three cars, two of which were stationary.
The accident happened in front of Bishop Lavis SAPS, on the corner of Myrtle and Tafelberg roads, on Thursday at 6.45pm.
According to the witness, the men in the two dicing cars are known in the area for speeding.
“These two cars, the white Opel and the other car, were dicing again, but when they spotted the police van turning towards the station, they had to quickly try and stop to avoid the officers.
“But when they were told to pull over, they raced on. The officer gave chase, and when the Opel suddenly braked at the stop street, the police van hit him full on and flipped over.”
ON THE FLIP SIDE: The overturned cop vehicle
Two other stationary cars were also hit and damaged by the cop van, which landed on its roof with the two officers still inside.
Community members alerted emergency medical services and police officers who came rushing out of the cop shop to check on their colleagues.
The area was cordoned off and the growing crowd was asked to step back as the injured and dazed officers were taken out of the vehicle.
But resident Valerie Fredericks, 53, believes the officer driving the cop van was at fault.
“He came rushing here as the cops always do and drove into the Opel. This corner is already so dangerous because everyone ignores the stop sign, but the police must not be less reckless. They think they own the road,” she said.
The two cops suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, but none of the people in the Opel were injured.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Andrè Traut confirms the circumstances surrounding the accident are under investigation.