Ontario police release wild video showing stunt driver going 200 km/h on highway shoulder
York Regional Police announced a crackdown on stunt driving and street racing Wednesday, releasing new video of a recent incident in which a vehicle was caught on camera doing doughnuts and speeding along the shoulder of busy roadways.
The crackdown is part of Project ERASE, an annual initiative meant to educate drivers about the dangers of speeding.
"We are all well aware of the devastating carnage resulting from speeding and dangerous operation of motor vehicles. We've all seen the horrific pictures of mangled cars and a tragic loss of life caused by the foolish and dangerous activity," Insp. Ian Hill told reporters. "What we don't often see are the broken families and the heartache that carry with them for the rest of their lives."
"The reality is street racing and dangerous driving is illegal and has no place on our roadways or highways."
In 2021, York police made 74 arrests in connection with street racing and stunt driving.
Of those arrests, about 70 were part of Project Takeover, a probe into organized stunt driving in the Greater Toronto Area.
There were 68 criminal code charges laid, in addition to 510 traffic highway act charges.
Hill said that so far this year, eight arrests have been made and police laid 44 criminal charges and 10 highway traffic act charges.
York Regional Police also released a video from their Air2 helicopter of an incident that occurred on May 12.
In the video, a driver is seen doing doughnuts in a parking lot before driving away on a highway, passing cars on the on-ramp.
Police say in the video description that the driver travelled about 200 km/h along the highway shoulder. In the video, the black vehicle is seen speeding past multiple cars stuck in traffic.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The vehicle is then seen travelling dangerously through multiple intersections, weaving around cars before pulling into an underground parking area for a townhouse complex.
The driver, who police have said was 19 years old, is then seen fleeing the area on foot. They were eventually taken into custody by officers on scene.
Police have not said what charges the driver is facing.
Anyone caught driving 40 kilometres an hour or more above a speed limit of less than 80 kilometres an hour will face stunt driving charges in Ontario.
In areas where the speed limit is above 80 kilometres an hour, a motorist will face stunt driving charges if they go more than 50 km/h above the limit.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality alerts issued as wildfire smoke spreads east from Western Canada
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Michael Cohen will face a bruising cross-examination by Trump's lawyers at the hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Risks of handcuffing someone facedown long known; people die when police training fails to keep up
For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone facedown could turn deadly if officers pin them on the ground with too much pressure or for too long.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.