THUNDER BAY — Police have released details of an incident Friday night that left officers shaking their heads.
According to the Thunder Bay Police Service, a 17-year-old youth with a G2 licence was tracked driving 97 km/h on High Street.
It was "incredibly alarming," Const. Tom Armstrong reported in a TBPS social media post. "This one just had a recipe for disaster."
Armstrong said the youth was initially stopped for stunt driving.
Police found two other youths in the vehicle, and open bottles of alcohol.
The driver was charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle, stunt driving, and several other offences.
"This one just had tragedy written all over it...It could have gone wrong in so many ways, and there were so many poor decisions in this one. We're again fortunate that nothing catastrophic occurred," Armstrong said.
In the period from Boxing Day through Saturday evening, the TBPS Festive RIDE program saw charges laid against numerous other motorists, including a suspended driver with a G1 licence who wasn't supposed to be driving alone.
He was charged with multiple offences and saw his vehicle impounded.
Another motorist was caught driving on Simpson Street while prohibited because of a previous impaired driving conviction.
Thunder Bay Police will continue to operate the RIDE program through New Year's Day and into 2025.
"I hope at some point in time, people wake up and start making smarter decisions...Follow the rules and keep themselves and everybody else on the road safe," Armstrong said.
