The man who slammed into a police vehicle on Monday and was initially believed to be a Blue Bulls player said he does not know where police got the idea that he was a professional rugby player.
”I don’t even have a Blue Bulls sticker on my car,” he said.
The 35-year-old Pretoria resident, whose name is being withheld until he has appeared in court, said he was amazed when he heard police had described him as a Bulls player.
He was arrested early on Monday morning after the crash at the Petroport, north of Pretoria, and will appear in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on June 1 on charges of drunk, reckless and negligent driving.
”We have taken a blood sample and have sent it to the police lab to determine what his blood alcohol level was,” police spokesperson Inspector Paul Ramatoko said.
He earlier said the man told them that he was a Blue Bulls rugby player when he was arrested.
”If he lied, he could be charged with perjury, because everything he says to police [is] said under oath,” Ramatoko said.
The man smashed his Audi A4 into a police vehicle, writing it off, while intelligence officers were arresting four would-be robbers.
”He was only slightly injured, but we believe he might have been driving as fast as 170kph,” Ramatoko said.
He said the four alleged robbers arrested — including a Soweto police sergeant — were believed to have stopped next to the road to apply muti before a robbery.
Police recovered three 9mm pistols and two vehicles, he said. — Sapa