Five drivers are facing stunt driving charges after provincial police in Chatham-Kent stopped a handful of vehicles that were going way too fast on the Highway 401 over the long weekend.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) with the Chatham Detachment said the fastest of the five was clocked at more than 175 kilometres per hour just after 11 p.m. on Friday, March 29. That was in the eastbound lanes of the Highway 401 between the Queens Line and Bloomfield Road interchanges.
A 39-year-old Windsor resident was charged with stunt driving and speeding more than 50 km/h over the posted limit.
Police also stopped a 43-year-old Sarnia resident earlier that same day, stopping a vehicle in the westbound lanes of the Highway 401 near Kenesserie Road at around 7:40 a.m. Friday after it was recorded going more than 55 km/h over the posted limit of 100 km/h.
The driver from Sarnia was charged with stunt driving, driving without a valid permit, and driving without insurance.
OPP said they stopped three more drivers who were all going more than 50 km/h over the posted limit on the Highway 401 in Chatham-Kent on Sunday.
A 30-year-old Scarborough resident, a 26-year-old London resident, and a 27-year-old North York resident were all stopped between 8:20 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Sunday and they were all charged with stunt driving.
Drivers charged with stunt driving immediately face a 30-day roadside licence suspension and have their vehicle impounded for 14 days.
The penalty upon conviction for stunt driving in Ontario is a fine of $2,000 to $10,000 and could include up to six months of jail time. The driver's licence is also given six demerit points and is suspended for a minimum of one year for first-time offenders.