BURSTAn Alberta man who was seen excessively speeding near Fairmont Hot Springs has been fined and had his vehicle impounded for seven days after police eventually caught up to him.
“Not every investigation ends with flashing lights and a traffic stop” said Sgt. Brett Reiben, unit commander for BC Highway Patrol Cranbrook. “This is a great example of persistent police work and good information from the public that held a driver accountable for his dangerous driving behaviour.”
On July 14, BC Highway Patrol Cranbrook officers were conducting a proactive road safety patrol on Highway 93/95 near Fairmont Hot Springs when they observed an Audi car traveling at 230 km/h in a posted 80 km/h zone.
Officers were unable to safely initiate an immediate traffic stop due to the speed of the vehicle. However, that did not end the investigation.
Officers converged to an area where they believed the vehicle to be and, with information from helpful members of the public, learned that the Audi had entered a nearby campground.
A short time later, officers located the Audi parked and unoccupied. Still, the investigation did not stop there.
The officers successfully identified and located the driver.
During the investigation, officers formed grounds to suspect the driver was under the influence of alcohol and demanded a roadside breath sample.
The driver provided a sample into an Approved Screening Device, which resulted in a ‘warn’ reading.
The driver, a 20-year-old male from Alberta, received:
• A 3-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition.
• A violation ticket for excessive speeding.
• A violation ticket for driving without a driver’s licence.
• A 7-day vehicle impoundment.
• Fines totaling $959 under the Motor Vehicle Act plus the cost for towing and 7 days of impound of his vehicle.
• A referral to the Alberta administrative body that reviews driving sanctions for drivers in that province.