North Bay motorist charged with stunt driving on Highway 17

An undated police image of an Ontario Provincial Police cruiser in a rural area. (File photo/Ontario Provincial Police/Facebook)

A 48-year-old from North Bay is facing stunt driving charges after being stopped for travelling 143 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 17, Ontario Provincial Police say.

Police said officers conducted the traffic stop in East Ferris at about 1 p.m. on Feb. 15.

“In Ontario, driving 40 km/h or more over the limit in zones under 80, or 50 km/h (or more over the limit) in (over) 80 zones, is stunt driving, coming with a traffic court date and immediate roadside penalties,” OPP said in a social media post.

The motorist was charged with stunt driving following the stop.

In addition to the charge, police had the vehicle towed and impounded for 14 days and the driver’s licence was suspended for 30 days.

The accused now also has a future traffic court date.

Court-imposed penalties for stunt driving may include a fine of up to $10,000, a driver’s licence suspension of up to three years and/or up to six months in jail. Drivers face a minimum first-time fine for stunt driving of $2,000 upon conviction. Motorist convicted of stunt driving may also face six demerit points, higher insurance costs and a mandatory driver improvement course.