Tale of road rage follows crash into fence off Highway 1 near Chase

Red Deer driver given 90-day immediate driving prohibition, breath samples exceed legal limit

RCMP locate van being driven erratically on Jan. 19, 2021 near Chase, driver says road rage the problem. (File photo)

A complaint of erratic driving on the Trans-Canada Highway led to a story of road rage followed by a crash into a fence.

In his January report, Sgt. Barry Kennedy of the Chase RCMP said that just before 5 p.m. on Jan. 19, a complainant told police that an orange camper van with an Alberta licence plate was drifting from one side of the road to the other, unable to maintain its lane.

Police stopped the vehicle in Chase and discovered a badly damaged windshield.

The driver said he was driving too fast when he turned off the highway into Chase, so the van crashed into a fence.

“He further explained that the reason he took the corner too fast was that he was chasing another vehicle that ‘high-beamed’ him,” wrote Kennedy.

The driver, 50, from Red Deer, told police he had recently consumed alcohol. The man subsequently failed a roadside alcohol screening test. Kennedy said further breath testing was conducted and the driver provided two samples which were well above the legal limit.

The man was given an immediate 90-day driving prohibition and was expected to face criminal charges.

Read more: Princeton man alleges ‘a-salt’

Read more: Okanagan car crash campaign shows consequence of impaired driving


marthawickett@saobserver.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Salmon Arm Observer