[Image: Facebook/The Atlantic Seaboard Community Forum]
Drunk, reckless, and straight into police custody.
A man has been arrested for DUI and reckless driving after mowing down two runners on Victoria Road in Bantry Bay early last Sunday morning.
According to reports, the impact sent both runners – a man and a woman – flying. The woman got the worst of it, launched over the side wall and plummeting roughly 100 meters down an embankment, triggering a full-scale rescue mission.
Cape Town Fire and Rescue didn’t mess around, deploying a crane to hoist her back up to safety before rushing her to the hospital with serious injuries.
A video has been doing the rounds showing the horrendous moment the car came veering towards the runners on the side, flinging them up into the air and over the edge.
A video shows the moment a drunk driver ploughed into two runners on Victoria Road in Bantry Bay on 30 March 2025. The runners were training for the Two Oceans Marathon and were flung over the edge by the driver – luckily, there were no deaths. pic.twitter.com/n2eBvOAlQT
— 2oceansvibe News – South African online news (@2oceansvibe) April 2, 2025
Police said the two injured victims were taken to a medical facility for treatment. Ward Councillor Nicola Jowell later provided an update on Facebook, confirming the female runner was in stable condition, while the male runner, somehow, walked away with minor injuries and was quickly discharged. Considering the impact seen in the video, this is miraculous.
“He is traumatised. He isn’t even speaking,” said the jogger’s brother, who only wanted to be identified as Phill, per The Cape Towner.
He said his brother, whom he did not name, suffered bruises on both legs, stitches on his lips and a broken tooth.
“Thankfully, he caught hold of the barrier after impact and didn’t slide down the cliff.”
Jowell also gave a shout-out to a medical doctor who had been running nearby and immediately stepped in to assist.
And she didn’t hold back on the dangers of drunk driving, adding that the driver should be facing an attempted murder charge.
The suspect, who was arrested on the scene for driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless and negligent driving, was due to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s court this week. Police said an investigation is underway.
The runners, members of the Atlantic Running Club, were training for the Two Oceans Marathon. Their morning run turned into something straight out of an action movie – minus the stunt doubles.
Phill said the accident has had a huge impact on his brother’s well-being, as he is an e-hailing driver who has two school-going children and a baby.
“He is on bedrest, so there is no income for his family. People should not drink and drive at all. This is as good as murder because you are endangering lives and negatively impacting those who rely on those lives. My brother is a hard-working family man who cannot support his family right now.”
A DUI, two flung runners, a dramatic crane rescue, and a driver now facing serious consequences – Victoria Road saw it all last weekend.
Let’s just hope this serves as a wake-up call for anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel drunk.
[Sources: SmileFM & Cape Towner]
