An all-night reveller fell asleep behind the steering wheel of his car, and careered into two groups of cyclists who were on a training ride in February, the Cape Town Regional Court heard on Thursday.
Mark Keyser (25) allegedly sent the cyclists sprawling domino-style when he crashed into them around 7.30am on February 4. Avron Siron landed on the bonnet of the car while Ivor Stern lay flat on the road as the car stopped momentarily, allowing him to scramble out of the way, before it sped away, the court heard.
The car’s front number plate was dislodged in the incident and was later found in the road.
Keyser has pleaded not guilty to 15 counts of attempted murder and a further five relating to his failure to stop. Keyser’s attorney Daryl Goldblatt told the court that his client had spent the entire night revelling at a rave night club, and the incident happened when he fell asleep while driving home.
Realising what had happened, Keyser had ”raced home in panic”, Goldblatt stated. Siron who suffered two broken ribs, told the court he was third from the front when he heard a huge noise behind him. ”I turned to look, and saw all the cycles being hit. I landed on the bonnet of the car for about 10 seconds, before falling off on the right side of the bonnet.
”My partner on my left was also hit, and landed on the tar and rolled. The car slowed down after hitting me, but when I looked up it had disappeared.”
Ryan Jossel told the court he was sent sprawling when the left side-view mirror of the car hit his right elbow. He fell against his partner on his left while another cyclist landed on top of him. Jossel said he saw the sprawled cyclist (Stern) scramble out of the way of the car.
”If he had not got out of the way, the car would have gone over him.”
He said he was taken away on a stretcher, but only suffered minor injuries. Stern said he too heard the ”huge crash” behind him but, before he could look back, he was thrown into the road in front of the car.
”The driver stopped and in two seconds I managed to get out of his way, and he raced off.”
He added, ”I am still cycling, but let me tell you I’m very cautious now — a little nervous, perhaps.”
Magistrate Piet Nel presided. The trial continues on Friday. – Sapa