Publications
Partners
Cape Town – A Blouberg motorist is in police custody after he allegedly knocked down a group of tourists, killing a Swedish national and leaving five others injured.
The 28-year-old man was driving along Arum Road in Table View on Wednesday night when he hit the pedestrians, confirmed Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut.
Table View police said an eyewitness saw a vehicle speeding along the road moments before the incident.
The driver was arrested on the scene and immediately taken to have his blood tested for alcohol.
Traut said he was arrested for culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.
The group came from countries including Holland, Israel, Denmark and Sweden, he said.
Paramedics at the scene tried to save the young Swedish national, who has sustained multiple injuries, but were unsuccessful.
Woman critically injured
Traut said he was 19 years old, while the local Swedish embassy said he was in his twenties.
The embassy's Santa Nockrach confirmed they were aware of his death in an accident.
"His relatives were informed," she said, without being able to provide further details on his identity or whether the embassy had been approached for assistance.
ER24 spokesperson Chitra Bodasing Harduth said the group was believed to have been tourists.
A woman was also critically injured and provided with advanced life support. Four others sustained minor to moderate injuries.
Traut said they were aged between 18 and 35.
The driver was not injured.
He was expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday.
