An apparent need for speed has landed a young driver in hot water – and his Ferrari in an impound lot -- after the high-end vehicle was clocked going 210 km/h on the Lions Gate Bridge.
The white 2015 Ferrari 458 was pulled over by a West Vancouver police patrol officer doing speed enforcement on the bridge early Tuesday morning. The officer was alerted to the vehicle after hearing it "racing north at [an] extremely high speed."
The luxury vehicle, worth an estimated $250,000, was doing approximately 150 km/h over the posted 60 km/h speed limit for the bridge.
Const. Jeff Palmer said this is not the first time the 22-year-old West Vancouver driver has been caught breaking speed laws: The same driver was pulled over for speeding on the very same bridge less than three months ago.
Initially, police said the luxury ride would be impounded for a week, but police later issued a statement saying the time in the impound lot would be expanded.
"After review by the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, the impound of the vehicle in this matter has been extended to 60 days," the West Vancouver Police Department said in a statement.
"Additionally, West Vancouver Police will provide supplemental reports to the Superintendent which will be reviewed for consideration of ordering a Prohibition from Driving."
A prohibition handed down by the superintendent would be separate from penalties that will be considered if charges are approved against the driver, the force said.
The driver was given a notice to appear in court in September on charges of excessive speed and driving without due care and attention under the Motor Vehicle Act.
So far this year, the West Vancouver Police have impounded 95 vehicles for excessive speed.
Palmer says excessive speed not only puts the driver at risk, but everyone else on the road too.
