An Abbotsford teenager is facing nearly $1,800 in fines, a driving prohibition, and a very unhappy stepmother after speeding away from police and crashing into a dump truck last week.BC Highway Patrol says the 16-year-old was clocked at 180 km/h in a 100 zone on Hwy. 1 near Popkum, B.C., around 1 p.m. on July 21. Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but minutes later a driver called police to report that a grey BMW had run a stop sign and slammed into his parked dump truck.Officers found the crashed BMW at the Hwy. 9 offramp. The driver, who held only a Class 7 Learner’s Licence, was behind the wheel with two other teen boys as passengers.“The passengers were not impressed,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin. “Hopefully the driver will learn that peer pressure works both ways.”Police confirmed the car belonged to the boy’s stepmother, and said it sustained thousands of dollars in damage. It has since been impounded for seven days at her expense.The driver was handed a dozen infractions, including excessive speeding ($483), driving without due care ($368), passing on the right ($109), running a stop sign ($167), and multiple violations of his learner’s licence restrictions, including driving without a supervisor, carrying too many passengers, and failing to display an “L” sign — each carrying a $109 fine. He also received tickets for a cracked windshield and improperly displayed front licence plate.A High Risk Driving Report was submitted, and the teen was handed a 12-month driving prohibition.“We tell you these stories because we want you to stay safe and avoid the financial pain of enforcement and the emotional and physical pain of collisions,” said McLaughlin. “Make a conscious decision to slow down and obey the law every time you start your car.”
