BC, Canada. A police helicopter doing routine patrol over the Sea-to-Sky Highway ended up spotting and catching nearly a dozen high-speed motorcyclists Thursday evening.
In the span of just an hour, Air 2 tracked 12 speeding motorbikes in three separate packs.
After directing officers to the offenders, RCMP wound up catching 10 riders, impounding five bikes and issuing 14 tickets.
It started around 7:15 p.m. when Air 2 spotted two sports bikes flying up Highway 99 near Furry Creek at speeds approaching 200 km/h.
They were intercepted near Britannia Beach, their bikes were taken away for seven days, and they were ticketed for excessive speed, unsafe passing and crossing a double solid line.
As Squamish RCMP were making those arrests, the chopper saw a six-pack of bikes also headed north on the Sea-to-Sky, one of which was accelerating above 180 km/h.
The same officer on the ground also nabbed that group, who ticketed one rider and impounded the bike. The other five got speeding tickets.
On the way back to Metro Vancouver, four more motorbikes were seen on the Trans-Canada near Horseshoe Bay.
Air 2 tracked two of the bikes as they crossed Iron Workers Memorial Bridge at speeds above 140 km/h. As they rode into Burnaby, they tried to evade the helicopter by going into Metrotown's underground parking. They were caught, ticketed and had their bikes impounded for a week by a Greater Vancouver road safety patrol unit.
Police say they may take steps to punish the reckless riders even more severely.
"There will also be further investigation to pursue civil forfeiture of the impounded motorcycles," said Sgt. Rob Vermeulen in a release Friday.
The forfeiture act allows the government to seize property involved in unlawful activity.
"In cases of excessive speed and reckless driving, we can apply to have vehicles taken away for good under the Civil Forfeiture Act," said Supt. Norm Gaumont, head of Lower Mainland District Traffic Services. "This kind of driving not only threatens the lives of the riders but puts everyone around them at risk. It has to be stopped."
Lower Mainland traffic cops warn they'll be out in force all weekend with extra officers on the highways to spot impaired, distracted and dangerous drivers.
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/helicopt...+just+ hour/5184540/story.html#ixzz1TtCTcWcj
In the span of just an hour, Air 2 tracked 12 speeding motorbikes in three separate packs.
After directing officers to the offenders, RCMP wound up catching 10 riders, impounding five bikes and issuing 14 tickets.
It started around 7:15 p.m. when Air 2 spotted two sports bikes flying up Highway 99 near Furry Creek at speeds approaching 200 km/h.
They were intercepted near Britannia Beach, their bikes were taken away for seven days, and they were ticketed for excessive speed, unsafe passing and crossing a double solid line.
As Squamish RCMP were making those arrests, the chopper saw a six-pack of bikes also headed north on the Sea-to-Sky, one of which was accelerating above 180 km/h.
The same officer on the ground also nabbed that group, who ticketed one rider and impounded the bike. The other five got speeding tickets.
On the way back to Metro Vancouver, four more motorbikes were seen on the Trans-Canada near Horseshoe Bay.
Air 2 tracked two of the bikes as they crossed Iron Workers Memorial Bridge at speeds above 140 km/h. As they rode into Burnaby, they tried to evade the helicopter by going into Metrotown's underground parking. They were caught, ticketed and had their bikes impounded for a week by a Greater Vancouver road safety patrol unit.
Police say they may take steps to punish the reckless riders even more severely.
"There will also be further investigation to pursue civil forfeiture of the impounded motorcycles," said Sgt. Rob Vermeulen in a release Friday.
The forfeiture act allows the government to seize property involved in unlawful activity.
"In cases of excessive speed and reckless driving, we can apply to have vehicles taken away for good under the Civil Forfeiture Act," said Supt. Norm Gaumont, head of Lower Mainland District Traffic Services. "This kind of driving not only threatens the lives of the riders but puts everyone around them at risk. It has to be stopped."
Lower Mainland traffic cops warn they'll be out in force all weekend with extra officers on the highways to spot impaired, distracted and dangerous drivers.
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/helicopt...+just+ hour/5184540/story.html#ixzz1TtCTcWcj
