JMPD officer crashes into pylon

A JMPD officer crashed into a pylon in Glenridge, Soweto, on Sunday morning, leaving the area without electricity.

Watch: Off-duty cop involved in dramatic high-speed collision with pylon

If Eskom doesn’t cut your power, joy-riding JMPD officers are on hand to help.

JMPD officer crashes into pylon

A JMPD officer crashed into a pylon in Glenridge, Soweto, on Sunday morning, leaving the area without electricity.

An off-duty Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer crashed into an electricity pylon in Glenridge, Soweto, on Sunday morning, leaving the area without power.

The officer – who was accompanied by two civilians – was charged with reckless and negligent driving, and is additionally suspected of having been under the influence.

The officer was remanded in custody. 

Hurtling down Randfontein road, the officer – driving a departmental vehicle – was caught on film by a pedestrian as he lost control and spun off the road.

Watch: JMPD officer crashes into pylon

The joy ride ultimately came to a dramatic conclusion as the vehicle struck an active electricity pylon, sending sparks shooting into the air.  

All three men sustained minor injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. 

“An off-duty JMPD officer caused an accident on Sunday 2 February while driving a departmental vehicle,” said JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar. 

“The officer will also be charged for misconduct and the matter will be investigated internally.” 

“The JMPD views this officer’s conduct in a very serious light, because he has caused injury to civilians, damaged property, and such bad behaviour will not be tolerated,” he said. 

This blunder aside, more than 870 culprits accused of crimes, ranging from armed robbery, theft, negligent driving to assault and murder, were remanded in Gauteng over a busy weekend for provincial law enforcement agencies. 

Having set up roadblocks all over Gauteng, police were able to nab 328 people for various crimes during a stop-and-search operation.