A Hanmer resident was charged with racing down Hwy 144 on Family Day (Feb. 17), accused by police of travelling at around 160 km/h along the notorious roadway.
On Feb. 17 around 5:22 p.m., members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Nipissing West (Sudbury) Detachment were conducting traffic enforcement on Highway 144 in Walden when they stopped a 33-year-old driver from Hanmer.
As a result of the stop, the OPP have charged the driver with Racing a Motor Vehicle - excessive speed, contrary to section 172(1) of the Highway Traffic Act. In addition to the charge, the driver was issued a seven-day driver's licence suspension along with a seven-day vehicle impoundment.
Provincial Constable Michelle Simard said the OPP will not be releasing how fast the driver was travelling at the time, in case the account contradicts the report by the officer on-scene. This is the standard practice for OPP of the Northeast Region, she said.
All that can be shared, she said, is that the driver was recorded travelling almost double the speed limit, which is 90 km/h.**
The OPP would like to remind motorists that if convicted of racing, drivers could face a fine of at least $2,000, imprisonment and an additional licence suspension.
**The section of Highway 144 where the vehicle was travelling actually has a posted speed limit of 90 km/h. An earlier version of this story stated the speed limit incorrectly.
