Man drove car into B.C. inlet for paid live stream stunt: Port Moody police

A man was detained in Port Moody, B.C., Monday night after police were tipped off about an Adin Ross live-stream video showing a driver sending a vehicle into Burrard Inlet.

The Port Moody Police Department said its officers responded to a report about the live stream, which was happening on the platform Kick, just before 10 p.m. The filming took place at Rocky Point boat launch, "where a man was allegedly being paid to drive his vehicle into the inlet," police said.

When officers arrived, the car was already in the ocean. The driver was still in the area and police detained him, but he was later released from the scene. Police said criminal charges, including mischief and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, are being considered.

Investigators said videos of the incident are circulating on social media and confirmed with CTV News Vancouver it was shared by Adin Ross, a streamer with more than a million followers on Kick.

"The individual involved is now potentially both criminally and financially responsible for this act which goes to show that these 'stunts' do have consequences, and hopefully acts as a deterrence for anyone else thinking of doing the same," Const. Sam Zacharias told CTV News Vancouver in an email.

The vehicle remained in the inlet overnight as tow operators were unable to remove it Monday. The boat launch was partially closed into Tuesday morning as a result.

Danny Valliers with Coquitlam Towing said he was at the boat launch at 6 a.m., checking on the vehicle to make sure it hadn't moved further into the water. Even hooking up the car to the tow truck was a challenge, Valliers told CTV News.

"Twelve feet of water over top of the car, how was I going to get in there, you know? I'm not a diver," he said. "Plus the weather, the coldness, you know, I would've gotten hypothermia if I jumped in last night to get it."

Valliers said he was annoyed by the impact the vehicle's submersion could have on the water.

"The oil slick's not good," he said.

Valliers said he was shocked, but also not too surprised, to learn the video was for social media.

"Social media is a huge influence on these kids," he said. "My question is, where are the parents? … What was he thinking? It boggles my mind."

Port Moody police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact them.

A disclaimer on Ross's Kick page says "activities, stunts, challenges, and pranks are performed by trained professionals and/or actors in a controlled environment and are for entertainment purposes only." The disclaimer warns viewers should not replicate any stunts seen on the streaming channel.

CTV News Vancouver has reached out to Ross for comment.