Dangerous wrong-way driver on Pat Bay highway identified, RCMP say
RCMP say the driver of a red Audi that nearly collided with several vehicles while travelling on the wrong side of the road on the Patricia Bay highway has been identified.
Startling video shows the moment when the Audi nearly hits several a commercial truck while travelling north in the southbound lanes of Highway 17 near Weiler Avenue and Beavone Avenue on Wednesday.
The man who recorded the video, Batista Salem, says he didn't see any collisions but thinks the driver of the Audi may have been injured since they "hit the curbs hard a few times."
The video can be viewed here.
Police received a call about the vehicle around 2 p.m. on Wednesday but were unable to locate it at the time.
On Thursday, Mounties said the owner of the car had been identified, thanks to dashcam video provided by the public.
"This was an incredibly dangerous situation and we are grateful that no one was harmed," said Cpl. Andres Sanchez with the Sidney North Saanich RCMP.
"It was reported that there were several instances where this driver nearly caused head on collisions. At highway speeds this could have been disastrous," he said.
Mounties say the owner of the car has been charged under the BC Motor Vehicle Act, though they did not specify what the charges are.
An investigation is ongoing to determine how and when the driver managed to enter the southbound lanes of the highway while heading north.
The video shows the driver return to the northbound lanes of the highway once there's a gap in the concrete median near Beacon Avenue.
"The public is encouraged to call 911 and forward dashcam footage to police if they encounter vehicles which are being operated in a dangerous manner," said the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.