Police Cut Off Mobile Drinking Party in Weekend Stunt-Driving Crackdown
A party van, driven by a 17-year-old, was stopped on Prince of Wales Drive in Ottawa. Inside the cargo area were 12 passengers, aged 17 and 18, with some seated on a sofa. The incident occurred Friday night as part of the ongoing #ResidentsMatter initiative targeting unsafe vehicle activities in the capital.
Ottawa police halted a rented cube van carrying a dozen youths who were drinking while riding in the cargo area. The driver, a 17-year-old, was charged with stunt driving for carrying passengers in the cargo area. His driver's license was suspended for 30 days, and the vehicle was impounded for 14 days.
The #ResidentsMatter project began earlier in the spring in response to residents' complaints about large-scale car meetup gatherings. While no large-scale gathering materialized this weekend, officers observed smaller groups of vehicles at various locations. The largest gathering Friday night involved 30 to 40 vehicles in a parking lot near Strandherd Drive and Greenbank Road.
In total, police issued more than four dozen tickets related to high-risk driving behavior and unsafe vehicle operation. Charges included speeding, red light violations, unnecessary noise, improper tires, and seatbelt-related offences. Four vehicles were impounded, and four drivers were charged with stunt driving.
Other notable enforcement actions included: a 30-year-old driver charged with stunt driving for traveling 140 km/h in a 70 km/h zone on Strandherd Drive; a suspended driver identified through Automated License Plate Recognition technology on Fallowfield Road; and two additional stunt-driving charges for excessive speed in Ottawa's west end.
