Police look for runaway driver

March 25
Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
THE police in Kumasi are hunting for a taxi driver who was alleged to have knocked down a Community Police Officer, killing him in the process after the deceased had sustained severe head and leg injuries.
According to an eyewitness, the taxi driver, who is yet to be identified, first hit the deceased who was at that time directing traffic at the Patasi Estate in Kumasi, and he fell on the bonnet of the taxi.
The eyewitness said while the deceased was still on the bonnet and struggling to hold firmly on to the side windows, the driver ignored public outcry and sped off for more than three kilometres and finally dumped him in a trench, causing him to suffer severe head injuries.
He died before he could receive medical care at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where he was rushed to.
The body has been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy, while the police are looking for the suspect who was alleged to have vanished as soon as the taxi plunged into the trench.
Mr Michael Owusu Gyamfi, who was on duty together with the deceased, told the Daily Graphic that while directing traffic at the Patasi Estate Junction, around 8:30 a.m., they spotted a cargo truck fully loaded with bags of cement coming from Patasi towards Sofoline, so they flagged vehicles from Patasi Estate to stop to give way to the cargo truck.
He said as the truck came close, they realised that the driver of the KIA Pride taxi, with registration number AS 7687 Y had ignored their directive and recklessly crossing the path of the cargo truck.
According to Mr Gyamfi, he attempted noting down the registration number of the taxi while his deceased colleague went to advise the driver to behave on the road to avoid any accident.
He said just at that time, the driver suddenly turned the car and hit the deceased on the pavement, causing him to fall on the bonnet, and sped off while he was still on the bonnet struggling to hold firmly on to the windows.