Ontario Provincial Police say a 47-year-old driver is facing several charges after being stopped for travelling at an extremely high speed with four children in the car earlier this week. Officers patrolling Highway 17 in West Nipissing recorded the vehicle at 159 kilometres per hour in a 90-kilometre zone before pulling it over around 1:45 p.m. on Monday.
According to police, the situation became even more serious once the stop was completed. The driver was found to be suspended and was transporting four children at the time. Police said in a Wednesday news release that the investigation resulted in multiple charges, including stunt driving, driving while under suspension and operating a vehicle without a valid permit.
Under Ontario’s stunt driving laws, the accused received an immediate 30-day licence suspension, and the vehicle was taken off the road for a mandatory 45-day impoundment period. Officers noted that the children inside the vehicle were assessed and found to have no health or safety concerns following the stop.
The motorist, who is from St. Charles, Ontario, was issued three provincial offence summonses and is expected to appear in court in West Nipissing on January 8. Police shared an image of the impounded vehicle and reiterated that extreme speeding continues to be a major safety risk on Ontario highways.
