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
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.