Die Burger

1 July 2004

Heather Brenner

The son of the woman arrested and charged with drunken driving (“Furore over cop’s apparent reluctance to arrest drunk driver”, June 17) has come forward and wants to tell his side of the story.

But the son, who is a medic and not a paramedic “which is a higher qualification“, says he does not want to be named because it could impact on his job. The accident happened in Gill Road, Table View on Sunday June 6.

The son said there are flaws in the story that he would like to correct. He says the car into which his mother had driven did not spin 30 metres because it was not parked where a man passing himself off as a police reservist and flashing a badge said it was parked.

“I marked the road where the police reservist said it was parked, but in daylight one can clearly see that it was impossible for the car to be parked there because the marks on the pavement where my mother first hit are further up the road. You can even see where the glass from the impact landed. The car that was hit merely moved across the road and onto the opposite pavement, a matter of no more than 10 metres,” said the son.

“It is also rubbish that the police took 45 minutes to arrive at the scene. I got a call from my mom at 5.50pm. I am very sure of the time factor because noting time is part of my job. I was at my home in Circle Road, just on the opposite side of Blaauwberg Road, and was on the scene at 5.56pm. The police arrived at 6.10pm. The police took 25 minutes to get to the Gill Road scene.

“It may be correct that my mother was confused as to where she was – she was suffering, as many people after a car accident , from retrograde amnesia .

Many people also get mixed up between Gill and Gie Road her confusion was understandable. She was also in a state of shock and disorientated, which could of given the impression that she was drunk. When I asked my mother if she had been drinking she said she had visited friends and four of them had shared a bottle of wine.

As to my relationship with Inspector Harry Kidd Anderson who attended the scene – who residents allege was reluctant to arrest my mother and take her for blood alcohol tests – I don’t know him from a bar of soap.”

Mrs Randall, who makes the allegation that Inspector Kidd – Anderson and I are in cahoots is out of line and makes it looks as if I acted unethically. Her allegations could impact negatively on me and the licence under which I practice in the course of my work and I will not tolerate that. I stand up for what is right and believe that if a person has done wrong they must stand up and be accountable and learn from their mistakes. This also applies to my mother; if she did wrong she must stand up and face the music. As for Mrs Randall, such serious allegations could see her in court.

Mrs Randall, who makes the allegation that Inspector Kidd – Anderson and I are in cahoots is out of line and makes it looks as if I acted unethically. Her allegations could impact negatively on me and the licence under which I practice in the course of my work and I will not tolerate that. I stand up for what is right and believe that if a person has done wrong they must stand up and be accountable and learn from their mistakes. This also applies to my mother; if she did wrong she must stand up and face the music. As for Mrs Randall, such serious allegations could see her in court.

“ Mark Wessels is the photographer who claims I was driving recklessly into the scene of an accident with lots of people and children milling around, says his own four-year – old child was there. He says I’m irresponsible. What irresponsible parent is he to allow a four – year – old child to be milling around at the scene of an accident? “It is neither mine, nor my mother’s fault that the blood test kits at Table View police station were out of date. It is also possibly not even Table View police station’s fault – they could have suffered a hitch at the source of supply or from higher administration. Who knows?

“As for the inspector’s alleged delaying tactics, I have attended many an accident scene in the line of my work and it is difficult in all confusion to get all the details, witnesses and relevant information on record. The police can’t just go around arresting people.

“I confirm that Tabletalk supplied its contact details to my mother in case she wished to respond, but I knew nothing of that, I would have been more than happy to give my side of the story. My mother chose not to contact Tabletalk because of the pending legal action,” said the son.