COURTENAY -- Days after a car drove over a fire hydrant in Courtenay, resulting in hundreds of litres of water being released, police have ticketed the car's owner but say they are still trying to figure out who was behind the wheel of the offending vehicle.
Police and firefighters were called to the 1300-block of Fitzgerald Avenue around 6:30 a.m. Dec. 4 for reports of a vehicle having struck a fire hydrant. The driver then ran from the scene leaving a white Hyundai Sonata behind.
RCMP have now issued the owner of the vehicle several violation tickets including failing to remain at the scene of a crash. Police have confirmed that the vehicle was not reported stolen but haven't been able yet to identify who the driver was at the time.
The area around the hydrant was closed off as BC Hydro and City of Courtenay work crews dealt with the situation. The severed water line acted as a high-pressure geyser sending water high into the air for approximately 45 minutes until the water was turned off.
The city says the cost of the damage has yet to be determined. Temporary water-quality issues were reported and fixed, according to the municipality.
