Nipigon – NEWS – An Alberta driver is facing a stunt-driving charge after Ontario Provincial Police say a BMW was clocked at 141 km/h in a 90 km/h zone near Nipigon on Sunday evening. The case matters across Northwestern Ontario because high-speed driving on the region’s highways can quickly turn dangerous for local residents, commercial traffic and travellers moving between communities.
Police allege BMW was travelling 141 km/h in a 90 zone
OPP say the charge was laid March 8 at about 5:07 p.m. after an officer with the Nipigon detachment, using a LiDAR speed-measuring device, stopped a 2015 BMW.
Police allege the vehicle was travelling 141 km/h in a posted 90 km/h zone. A 20-year-old from Calgary, Alta., has been charged with drive motor vehicle — perform stunt — excessive speed.
The accused was issued a 30-day administrative driver’s licence suspension and the vehicle was impounded for 14 days, according to police. The driver is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at a later date.
The charge has not been proven in court. As with all charges, the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Highway Traffic Act charge, not a Criminal Code allegation
No Criminal Code charge has been announced in this case. The allegation falls under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act stunt-driving provisions. Ontario’s stunt-driving regulation includes driving 50 km/h or more above the posted limit where the speed limit is 80 km/h or higher, which is why an allegation of 141 km/h in a 90 km/h zone can trigger the charge.
Ontario says a stunt-driving allegation can bring an immediate 30-day roadside licence suspension and a 14-day vehicle impoundment. On conviction, penalties can include a fine of $2,000 to $10,000 and up to six months in jail, along with further licence sanctions.
Why this matters in Northwestern Ontario
For readers in Nipigon, Thunder Bay and across the region, cases like this are about more than one traffic stop. Long stretches of highway, changing weather and the distances between communities leave little margin for error when speeds climb well above the limit.
Police agencies across Northwestern Ontario regularly stress that aggressive driving remains a public-safety issue, especially on corridors used by residents, tourists and transport traffic. In that context, stunt-driving enforcement is meant to remove immediate risk from the road before a serious collision happens.
OPP urging public to report aggressive driving
The OPP said it remains committed to taking aggressive drivers off the road through enforcement and education.
Police are reminding the public to call 911 if they see suspected aggressive driving in progress.
