Northern Ont. motorcyclist popped a wheelie in front of police, now faces stunt driving, other charges

An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle parked red and blue lights flashing. (File photo/Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police)

A 32-year-old motorcycle driver has been charged with stunt driving following an incident in northern Ontario last week.

On Sept. 4, members of the James Bay Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment observed a motorcycle “perform a wheelie” in front of their cruiser in Kapuskasing.

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"Driving a motor vehicle while intentionally lifting some or all tires from the road is a stunt driving offence," said police.

"The 32-year-old driver was arrested and found to be in possession of a prohibited knife."

The knife resulted in an additional criminal charge.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

What is stunt driving?

The offence of stunt driving was first introduced in Ontario in 2007 – it is not simply speeding. Several high-risk actions fall under the stunt driving section of the Highway Traffic Act, including:

• All tires not being in contact with the highway,
• causing tires to lose traction,
• spinning a vehicle without control,
• driving with a person in the trunk,
• driver operating the vehicle while not in the driver's seat,
• preventing another vehicle from passing,
• driving in an oncoming traffic portion of a highway,
• stopping or slowing to interfere with another vehicle,
• driving too close to another vehicle, pedestrian or object and
• turning left from a red light before oncoming traffic.

Exceeding the posted speed limit by 50 or more km/h on roads with a speed limit of 80 km/h or higher or by 40 or more km/h on roads with a speed limit of less than 80 km/h or exceeding 150 km/h on any roadway are all also consider stunt driving.

“The Highway Traffic Act states, every person who contravenes this section is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine not less than $2,000 and not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both, and in addition, the court shall make an order suspending the person’s driver’s licence,” said the OPP in a separate social media post earlier.

Upon conviction of the first offence a stunt driver’s licence is suspended for one to three years, it is a three to 10 years suspension for the second offence and indefinitely on the third conviction.

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“The OPP would like to remind drivers that aggressive driving is dangerous and is the leading factor in fatal motor vehicle collisions,” said police.

“Racing, stunt driving, speeding, following too closely, unsafe lane changes and road rage are all forms of aggressive driving that places drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians at risk.”

Provincial police said they remain committed to saving lives and encourage people to report aggressive driving.

“Drive safe,” added police.