RCMP use cruiser to push car with no brakes to a stop on Vancouver Island highway
RCMP had to use their vehicle to push a speeding car to a stop after the car – which was determined to have no working brakes – was spotted speeding on a Vancouver Island highway.
The vehicle was spotted by members of the BC Highway Patrol in Parksville, when the car was seen reportedly travelling 125 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 19 near Nanoose Bay.
"The car drove past the officer who immediately noticed that the driver had a stressed look on her face and had both hands off the steering wheel, gesturing wildly," said Mounties in a release Wednesday.
Police say a highway patrol officer pulled up to the car and determined that it was speeding because it had no working brakes.
"The officer manoeuvred his car in front of the speeding vehicle and, after several attempts to communicate his intentions to the driver, used it as the brakes to safely bring the vehicle to a stop without any injuries or damage," police said.
DRIVER WAS ALREADY UNDER DRIVING BAN
Once the vehicle, a 1999 Ford Escort, was safely at a stop, police say they spoke with the driver.
The 33-year-old woman initially gave police a fake name. After further investigation, Mounties say they learned that the woman was prohibited from driving and was also wanted on unrelated warrants.
Police also learned that the vehicle did not belong to the woman, had licence plates displayed that did not belong to the car or the driver, and the vehicle was uninsured.
Mounties also asked for a roadside breath test from the driver, which she failed resulting in an additional three-day driving ban.
RCMP say both the vehicle's foot brakes and hand brake were not working, and that the car was reported running through multiple red lights in Nanaimo.
The woman was served several driving tickets and has since been released from custody until her next court date. The vehicle itself was impounded.
"Police always expect the unexpected and this incident demonstrates how (BC Highway Patrol) officers work every day to make our highways safer together," said RCMP.
"Police remind drivers to obey the rules of the road and ensure your vehicle is safe to drive."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.