A Johannesburg metro policeman whose fingertip was bitten off by an alleged drunken driver was discharged from hospital on Monday, police said.
”He is in a stable condition and back at home. He does have a shorter finger now as the tip of the finger was not able to be re-attached,” said metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.
”Doctors said although he has one shorter finger on the right hand, he will be able to use his finger and his hand again.”
Isaac Mampani’s fingertip was bitten off around 10pm on Saturday night when he tried to arrest a middle aged man at an accident scene in Midrand.
Minnaar said the accident happened at the intersection of the K101 route and Church Street in Midrand. The suspect, apparently driving drunk, drove his red Golf into the back of a white Mitsubishi van.
When Mampani stopped to attend to the accident, the man resisted arrest, bit off the tip of Mampani’s index finger, and drove off, said Minnaar.
Mampani picked up his fingertip, holding on to it while calling for back-up. The man was chased to his home in Ebony Park and Mampani was taken to Johannesburg’s Milpark hospital, where surgeons attempted to reattach it.
The man, in his forties, is expected to appear in the Midrand Magistrate’s Court on Monday afternoon, charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to stop when instructed to do so by an officer, and failing to give his name when asked. – Sapa