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
Board orders deportation for trucker in horrific Humboldt Broncos crash
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
Group tied to Islamic State plotted fatal Ontario restaurant shooting: Crown
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
'A really bad car crash': Why health experts are raising concerns over surging syphilis cases
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Purolator truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. save man walking in Hwy. 407 lanes
A pair of Purolator transport truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. are being hailed as heroes for their efforts in helping a person in crisis.
Trudeau responds to American senators calling on Canada to increase defence spending
Stopping short of offering the assurance U.S. senators are seeking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is aware there's more work to do in order to see Canada meet NATO's defence spending target.
Toddler dies after being struck by recycling truck in Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood
A toddler has died after being struck by a recycling truck in a Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
Milk sold in Canadian grocery stores tested for avian influenza; results released
As avian flu spreads south of the border, Canadian officials are now testing samples of milk sold in grocery stores across the country.