TORONTO —
More than 50 vehicles were stopped overnight as a result of speeding or stunt driving, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say.
Along with police services from Toronto and Peel Region, the OPP targeted street racing in different areas near Pearson International airport and Sherway Gardens Mall Friday night.
According to police, one person was caught speeding 126 km/hr in a 50 km/hr zone on Dixon Road.
“This is one of over 460 stunt-related driving charges we’ve laid here to date in Toronto as well as 27,000 speeding related tickets we’ve laid here to date,” Jason Kraft of Toronto Traffic Services said at the scene. “An increase from last year.”
“Unfortunately, the person driving the vehicle driving behind me lost their family vehicle for a few days. It could have been a fatality that we were reporting tonight.”
The driver was charged with stunt driving, his vehicle was impounded and his licence was suspended for seven days.
In another incident, police said a motorcycle was speeding eastbound on Highway 401 near Deverell Crescent and managed to evade OPP twice. The motorcycle was followed by a police aircraft to a home, where officers were able to take the driver into custody.
Investigators say he was travelling 170 km/hr. The driver was charged with numerous offences, including dangerous driving and stunt driving.
“Tonight is like many other nights, it’s officers in their jurisdictions or in streets that are … neighbouring different police services coming together with a common goal, which is to minimize the excessive driving, the stunt-related driving happening on public roads and encouraging individuals to keep it to the race track,” Kraft said of the joint initiative.