Kaden Nelson Brooks on his way out of provincial court in Nanaimo following his initial appearance on Tuesday, June 27. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

charges laid

Crash near Nanaimo construction workers leads to charges against allegedly impaired, speeding driver

Jun 27, 2023 | 2:26 PM

NANAIMO — A man faces several charges for allegedly speeding on a closed portion of local highway, then getting in a physical confrontation with a police officer after crashing his car.

Kaden Nelson Brooks, 20, made an initial court appearance on Tuesday, June 27 in Nanaimo the day after charges were approved by the BC Prosecution Service.

Brooks is charged with impaired and dangerous driving, refusal to provide a breath sample and assaulting a peace officer, in relation to an incident this past spring on the Nanaimo Parkway just north of the Fifth St. intersection.

According to Nanaimo RCMP, Brooks was allegedly clocked by a Mountie traveling 131 kilometers per hour while traveling south on the Nanaimo Parkway past the Third St. intersection on March 29 at about 12:35 a.m.

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

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The highway was closed at the time due to upgrades for the Midtown Water Supply Project.

The black Mazda allegedly cleared a two-and-a-half metre wide open trench dug into the Parkway then immediatly crashed.

Several hours after the incident Nanaimo RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW the motorist was then chased on foot by an on-scene Mountie assigned to the area to ensure drivers were obeying the speed limit.

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

“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,” O’Brien said at the time.

Brooks’ alleged impaired and dangerous driving incident occurred on this section of Nanaimo Parkway, not far from the Nanaimo VIU campus. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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

During a brief first court appearance in Nanaimo, Brooks informed the court he’s in the process of obtaining legal representation.

He indicated a desire for the case to be transferred to Campbell River.

Brooks has no prior criminal record in the province.

He’s not in custody, while his next court appearance is scheduled for July 11 in which Brooks can appear via telephone.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes