Driver clocked at nearly double the speed limit on the Okanagan Connector

A driver has lost his vehicle for a week after driving nearly double the speed limit on the Okanagan Connector and stopping left of the passing lane.

BC Highway Patrol says an eastbound black Dodge Challenger was clocked going 207 km/h on Highway 97C near Elkhart at around 2:25 p.m. on April 1, well over the speed limit of 110 km/h.

In a news release issued Wednesday (April 15), police say the driver, a 29-year-old man from Coldstream, stopped on the left side of the divided highway when officers attempted a traffic stop. Police say other drivers slowed down and moved over when they saw the flashing lights.

“We’re glad that no one was hurt, because at these kinds of speeds, collisions lead to fatalities,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin states. “We would like to remind drivers to slow down. And if you do get stopped by police, remember to pull to the curb lane just like it says in the BC Motor Vehicle Act.”

The driver was fined $483 and had his vehicle impounded for seven days. Police say with at least three years of high-risk driver premiums and increasing insurance rates, his total costs following his speeding will be around $2,500.