Criminal charges could be laid against driver, whose truck also broke down

Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals confirmed the giraffe has died

Witness pulled over to take photo - and loud crack was heard seconds later

A giraffe has died after smashing its head into a low bridge while it was being transported along a busy highway in South Africa.

The moments before the accident at around 2.30pm today were caught on camera by a horrified fellow driver who described hearing a loud crack.

South Africa's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told local media the giraffe has since died and the truck driver could face criminal charges.

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Horror: This photograph was taken on the N1 highway in Pretoria, South Africa, moments before one of the two giraffes hit its head a low bridge (pictured) and later died. Animal cruelty officers are investigating the incident

Engineer Thinus Botha, 32, took the photo of the two giraffes after driving next to the truck for half a mile on the N1 on the outskirts of Pretoria, South Africa's capital.

He decided to pull over to capture the moment - and witnessed the gruesome accident seconds later.

'I pulled over just before the bridge and a few seconds after I took the photo the first giraffe hit its head on the bridge,' he told MailOnline.

'There was a loud bang and I saw blood coming from the nose of the giraffe.

'I hear that he didn't make it and I'm not surprised. It was a sharp hit to his skull.'

Some Twitter users pointed out the similarities with the film The Hangover Part III, which features lead character Alan Garner causing a 20-car pileup after accidentally decapitating a giraffe he bought.

But South Africa's Society for the Prevention of cruelty to Animals said the real-life incident was deadly serious and the driver could be prosecuted.

Some Twitter users pointed out bizarre similarities with the film The Hangover Part III. But animal protection officers said the incident had caused the animal catastrophic head injuries and the driver could be prosecuted

Other reactions to the incident on Twitter, where the photo was first posted, were distraught.

Liesl Schoonraad wrote: 'Sometimes I have no hope for mankind', while Nikki Botha wrote: 'This makes me see a special shade of red.'

@Itschydo added: 'How was the giraffe supposed to know to duck its head?!'

It is believed the truck had already broken down this morning, leaving the giraffes stranded for several hours.

The driver was then stopped at a toll booth further up the road, said Mr Botha.

The owner of the giraffes told a reporter for the national Citizen newspaper that the truck 'went through lots of other bridges' before the accident and the giraffe had craned its neck.

But Mr Botha told MailOnline: 'He was standing as he is in the picture. He didn't all of a sudden stand up straighter or stretch.'

SPCA spokesman Rick Allan told Eye Witness News: 'All we can ascertain at this stage is severe head trauma.