Driver doing 218 km/h near Kelowna nabbed after passing cop car

A driver doing 218 km/h in a 70 zone on Highway 97 near Kelowna, who was flashing his headlights to get slower driver to pull over and out of his way, was caught because one of those vehicles he passed was a cop car.

When the 36-year-old driver of the white Honda Civic was pulled over by police at around 4 p.m. on BC Day, Aug. 4, he said he was being chased by two men, according to a BC Highway Patrol media release issued, Aug. 20. The problem was he couldn’t provide a description of the men or the vehicle they were driving.

The driver of the Civic was fined $483 for excessive speed and had his car impounded for seven days which included the tow fees he’ll have to pay.

He was also given a notice for insufficient tires, lowered suspicion modifications and a severely cracked windshield.

The Civic’s plates were seized and it will need to be inspected before the driver can get it re-insured.

A high-risk driving report was sent to the BC Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, which will result in a review of his driver’s licence.

This was one of 220 vehicles impounded for excessive speed so far this summer by officers with the highway patrol in Kelowna, RCMP said.

“Speeding at triple the limit is incredibly dangerous at any time of day. The financial penalties are serious, but there are many examples where this kind of speed ends in death,” BC Highway Patrol spokesperson Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said the release.

The officer who pulled over the Honda Civic gave the driver his business card in case remembered anything about the men who were chasing him or what their vehicle looked like. He has yet to give the officer a call.