An alleged impaired driving heading south on the Nanaimo Parkway just north of VIU crashed his car into a trench line. The highway was closed when the incident occurred just after midnight on Wednesday, March 29. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

serious incident

‘He was laughing throughout:’ driver captured going 131 km/h through closed Nanaimo Parkway

Mar 29, 2023 | 12:49 PM

NANAIMO — A disturbing case of reckless driving unfolded on a closed section of the Nanaimo Parkway overnight, according to police.

It happened on Wednesday, March 29 at about 12:35 a.m. on the highway’s southbound lanes about 400 metres north of the Fifth St. exit, where RCMP Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien said a motorist was clocked by a Mountie traveling at 131 kilometers per hour up the hill past the Third St. intersection.

“The member watched the vehicle hit some dirt and the vehicle went airborne, came down and all four tires blew out.”

The area of the Parkway in question was closed off at the time of the incident, to accommodate work on the highway for the Midtown Water Supply Project.

An eyewitness on scene reported two construction workers on the highway were in immediate danger and had to run out of the fast-approaching car’s path.

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The black Mazda crashed after clearing a two-and-a-half metre wide trench dug into the roadway to make room new water lines.

O’Brien said the motorist tried to escape after crashing their car.

“The driver then took off running, chased by our member who got into a fight with this person and was taken into custody with the assistance of the workers who were on the highway.”

The speed limit leading up to the intersection was 50 kilometers an hour.

A contractor’s vehicle placed on the highway and cones clearly established the section of highway was closed at the time.

O’Brien said an assigned Nanaimo RCMP officer was on the side of the Nanaimo Parkway to specifically ensure motorists were following the posted speed limit.

overnight closures of the Nanaimo Parkway between the Third and Fifth streets is expected to conclude overnight Wednesday. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

A 20-year-old man was arrested for impaired and dangerous driving and being a prohibited motorist.

The Nanaimo resident has not yet been formally charged, preventing his name from being released at this time.

Police confirmed he was released on conditions prior to future court proceedings.

“He was laughing throughout the whole incident, he said that he didn’t care if he went to jail,” O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The suspect’s car appears to be a write-off, O’Brien noted.

He said sadly this is the latest of many examples of construction workers put in vulnerable situations due to reckless motorists.

“It’s a recipe for disaster with the vehicle going that fast and the driver allegedly being impaired. The impaired was based on the fact the symptoms were there and he refused to provide a breath sample later on.”

In September 2021, a roadside construction worker was killed by an apparent drunk driver south of Nanaimo during highway roadworks south of the Duke Point ferry terminal turnoff.

Christanne Marie Boufford is charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, impaired driving causing death and impaired operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm.

She’s been ordered to stand trial in BC Supreme Court.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes