Instead of one traffic ticket, a young Delta driver recently racked up 15 of them, accumulating more than $2,000 in fines and losing his vehicle in the process.
And it’s all because he failed to stop for police during a routine traffic stop.
According to the RCMP, officers attempted to stop a dark-coloured Lexus for a possible mechanical violation last Thursday on the ramp leading to the Alex Fraser Bridge. The driver appeared initially to be stopping, but fled from police. Having obtained the licence plate, the officers did not pursue the vehicle for safety reasons.
While preparing their report, officers noticed a vehicle similar in description, but with a different licence plate, had also fled from police at the same location only a few days earlier. Further investigation showed both licence plates came back to the same vehicle identification number and registered owner.
After the first incident, the owner obtained new licence plates for the vehicle. Police confirmed the driver was in fact the registered owner, a 20-year-old man from Delta.
“On both occasions police officers did not chase this individual. We didn't want to put the public at risk, so we exercised discretion,” said Sgt. Lorne Lecker of Deas Island Traffic Services. “But that didn't mean he got away — we have other ways to ensure these type of drivers will face consequences.”
The day after the second incident, officers went to the owner’s home and impounded the car.
The owner was issued 11 tickets for the second incident of fleeing from police. The total face value of the issued tickets was $1,689 plus associated points. Four additional tickets worth $754 were also issued as a result of the original failing to stop incident.
As failing to stop for police and fleeing from a police vehicle falls into the category of “street racing,” the driver was also issued an immediate 15-day driver’s licence suspension and had his licence seized. A report was also sent to Road Safety BC to consider further driving prohibitions.
“The driver, who had a valid driver’s licence and insurance, would have been issued a $109 ticket had he stopped as required when directed by the officer,” added Lecker.
