With the assistance of Linden Citizen on Patrol and helpful residents, a speeder who was allegedly driving more than 100 kilometres per hour over the speed limit will have his day in court.
Kneehill County Community Peace Officer Jamie Erickson told inSide Drumheller about an incident occurring last Friday evening, March 29. He observed a new Mitsubishi Lancer traveling north on Highway 806 towards Linden at a high rate of speed. Erickson clocked the car traveling at 202 kilometres per hour.
“I activated the radar when I saw him coming up really fast on another vehicle,” said Erickson. “I hit my lights after I had locked in the speed and he was well ahead of me at that point. He made no attempts to stop and passed another vehicle on a corner.”
Erickson said he made no further attempts to stop the car and notified Beiseker and Three Hills RCMP of the car and direction of travel.
Later he was patrolling in the Village of Linden and was flagged down by a resident who gave him information on the car that had passed through the village. A member of Citizen on Patrol helped the peace officer locate the vehicle at a residence in the village.
“I had a lot of help from some citizens of Linden telling me where the vehicle went and the license plate, and Citizens on Patrol who stepped forward to find the vehicle,” he said.
Erickson told inSide Drumheller a male has been charged with driving more than 50 kilometres per hour over the speed limit and failing to stop for a police officer, both under the provincial Traffic Safety Act.
He explains that a driver charged with driving 50 kilometres over the speed limit has an automatic court appearance. There is no specified penalty. The maximum fine the driver could face is $2,000 and/or up to a six month suspension.
Surprisingly enough, this was not the fastest driver he has ever seen in his 12-year career. He once clocked a driver traveling 218 kilometres per hour.
“We see the 150s often in the county, but not often we come across speeds that extreme,” said Erickson.
The driver is slated to appear in provincial court in Drumheller on May 1.
