A Langley man received a hefty fine last weekend for travelling through South Surrey at more than 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
But he may have more to worry about than the $483-penalty and the fact his vehicle – a 2005 Ferrari F430 – was impounded for seven days.
RCMP ‘E’ Division spokesman Cpl. Robert McDonald said Thursday that police have also alerted officials with the Ministry of Children and Family Development to the incident, as a 10-year-old boy was found in the car.
“We’ve been in touch with them; they’re aware of the situation,” McDonald told Peace Arch News.
The 49-year-old driver, whose name has not been released, was clocked at 181 km/h as he travelled south on 176 Street at 32 Avenue – where the posted speed limit is 80 km/h.
McDonald said officers were taken aback when they saw a child in the vehicle.
“I don’t know how someone could put a child at risk like that,” he said.
The car had apparently been purchased just two days prior to the offence. The driver told police he was “just testing it.”
Pulled over without incident, the driver was issued a $483-fine – the highest possible fine for speeding – under the Motor Vehicle Act.
According to ICBC’s website, he may also have to pay a driver-risk premium; charged to drivers who meet criteria such as having an excessive-speeding conviction.
McDonald said the driver was “well aware” that the intersection he raced through was the scene of a horrific accident last year, in which five members of a Newton family were killed.
That devastating crash occurred on April 28, 2013. One week later, the 46-year-old Langley man who drove through a red light and hit the family’s vehicle died after undergoing surgery for a non-malignant brain tumour that was discovered in hospital.
McDonald said there is a note on the Ferrari driver’s police file indicating the man “apologized for the speed.”
He stressed such incidents occur far too often, and the message is always the same.
“I keep saying every time we get something like that, you never know,” he said.
“The person might think their ability to drive is better than others. My thing to this is, how about the others on the other side? It’s not just you, it’s everybody else that uses the roadway.
“At 180 km/h, your chance of avoiding a collision is nil.”
