'The suspect was immediately arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug with a narcotic effect and culpable homicide.'
Image: SAPS
A 29-year-old motorist is expected to appear in Brits Magistrates' Court in the North West on Friday, December 27, for culpable homicide and driving under the influence.
This follows his capture by Hartbeespoortdam South African Police Services (SAPS) members on Wednesday late afternoon.
SAPS spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh said a black Volkswagen Amarok bakkie collided with a woman and two children in Kosmos on Simon Bekker Avenue in Hartbeespoortdam.
"At the accident scene, a 5-year-old girl was certified dead by the Emergency and Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) paramedics," Myburgh said.
The second victim, a 22-year-old mother of two children, was rushed to a nearby hospital and treated for significant head injuries. The third victim, an infant girl, was also admitted in a serious condition.
"The suspect was immediately arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug with a narcotic effect and culpable homicide."
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng, warned motorists not to drink and drive.
Asaneng added that the police and other law enforcement agencies will not hesitate to enforce the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No. 93 of 1996) to ensure that those who break the law are dealt with appropriately as part of road safety management and Safer Festive operations.
In a similar case, a man was charged with drunk driving following a collision that claimed the life of 12-year-old boy in the Eastern Cape in August.
"The two vehicles collided with each other between 10th and 11th Avenue. The 12-year-old boy passed away on arrival at the hospital, and his mother was admitted to hospital in a critical condition," said SAPS spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse Van Rensburg.
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