A Barrie-area teenager has been stripped of his driving privileges after a car was seen speeding at 239 km/h in an 80 km/h zone.
Huronia West OPP were on a routine patrol at 1:50 a.m. yesterday when they spotted a Lincoln LLS northbound on Highway 26, north of Barrie.
The car was being driven erratically before it was finally pulled over in Midhurst, police said, adding there were four other individuals under 18 in the vehicle.
A 17-year-old boy from Springwater township is charged with street racing, careless driving and failure to surrender his licence. He is to appear in Wasaga Beach provincial court on June 17.
Under the street racing legislation, his car has been seized and will be held for seven days. His licence has been suspended.
If convicted, a driver travelling more than 50 km/h over the speed limit faces a fine ranging from a minimum of $2,000 up to $10,000.
OPP Sgt. Cam Woolley said the 239 km/h incident was the highest speeding infraction reported over the weekend.
Police laid 163 street racing charges during the OPP's long weekend blitz and seized as many cars, mostly operated by young men in their early 20s or late teens.
In the GTA alone, there were about 300 accidents since the blitz began on Friday.
Since Friday, there have been eight traffic fatalities in Ontario, none in the GTA.
Although fewer cottagers made the trek north this holiday weekend, the number of accidents and traffic violations remained the same, said OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino.
"We're far more visible, far more aggressive and far more able to enforce," Fantino said.
Despite the OPP's attempt to get drivers to voluntarily comply with the law by posting large signs to advertise their presence, people still drove erratically, police said.
A car was pulled over on Highway 427 yesterday after the driver weaved in and out of traffic, Woolley said, adding the driver said he thought officers were EMS and that he needed to get out of their way.
-Torstar News Service
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