A 19-year-old driver will be facing charges of culpable homicide and drunken driving in the Ladysmith Magistrate Court for his alleged involvement in a horrific collision that claimed the lives of four people, along the N11, near Elandslaagte area, on Sunday morning.
Four family members from Mpumalanga, died in the accident. Among the dead is the mother, her unborn twins and a three year-old toddler. Four others sustained critical injuries and were rushed to hospital for medical attention. It is alleged that a ‘bakkie’ with a trailer, and second light motor-vehicle, a blue BMW collided on the ModderSpruit bridge.
A third vehicle is thought to be involved in the crash, but further investigations will have to be done to confirm the exact cause of the crash. KZNEMS medics along with Ladysmith ER24 were called out to the scene of the crash. The N11, from Ladysmith to Newcastle, was closed as emergency officials worked to treat the injured. The deceased were declared dead on the scene, while the jaws of life had to be used to free the trapped bodies from the mangled wreck. The 19-year-old was arrested by the Elandslaagte SAPS and the deceased have not yet been officially identified.
