West Vancouver police are releasing more information about a case in which a 13-year-old
The incident happened around 11 p.m. on March 25. Officers were called to Highway 1 eastbound near Cypress Bowl Road where they found the Italian supercar a total write-off in the ditch. After a short investigation, they found the driver, a 13-year-old, at their residence a short distance away.
The teen is now facing several charges under the Motor Vehicle Act, including speeding, driving without due care, failure to remain at the scene of a collision, and driving with no driver’s licence.
West Vancouver Police Sgt. Chris Bigland said there have been a lot of questions about why the youth wasn’t being charged with theft, but he said the exact circumstances of how they came to be at the wheel were a bit more complicated.
At the time, the car was in the process of being sold, a process that was going to take several days, given the high value of the vehicle.
“In the interim, the registered owner had given custody of the keys and the vehicle to the young person that ended up being the driver and we do not believe that the registered owner was aware of the true age of this young person, or that they were unable or were not licensed to drive in British Columbia,” Bigland said, adding there wasn’t any attempt by the teen to lie or defraud the owner. “It does not appear that the registered owner maybe asked an extra couple of questions to establish that this was a wise choice.”
Investigators believe the teen was doing about 100 kilometres per hour when they lost control.
“The driver’s inability to manage the vehicle in the weather conditions at the speed that they were operating at was a significant contributing factor,” he said.
Neither the driver nor a friend riding in the car were hurt, which Bigland said police were grateful for.
Because the teen is facing Motor Vehicle Act charges, the matter will not go to court unless they choose to dispute the tickets.
Bigland said there have also been questions about the parents’ role in the events, but police have no feedback from the parents to share with the media.
There is, however, a message that the wider public can take home, he said.
“The West Vancouver Police Department takes public safety very seriously. Speeding, driving without due care and attention, and driving without a driver’s licence are serious offences that can have tragic consequences. We’re asking everyone to make good choices and do their part to keep our roads safe,” Bigland said.
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As would be normal in the case, Bigland said the investigating officers did forward their report to ICBC.
“Ultimately, it’s for them to determine how the insurance claim is going to go,” he said.
