ON Saturday, November 18, 2023, Peel Regional Police’s Road Safety Services’ Safer Roads Team (SRT) monitored a large group of street racers (approximately 100-150 vehicles) that set up to race at multiple locations throughout the region. SRT was able to identify numerous drivers for various dangerous driving offences.
On Sunday, November 19, 2023, many of the same street racers returned to the region to race and set up races on American Drive in Mississauga. Their dangerous driving behaviour lead to a collision involving a Corvette and a BMW. The Corvette driver, a 21-year-old man from Markham, was charged with numerous driving offences, including dangerous operation, race a motor vehicle (three counts), and public mischief for providing a false statement. Before the collision, the BMW was observed street racing multiple times, resulting in the driver, a 19-year-old man from Toronto, being charged with numerous driving offences, including dangerous operation and race of a motor vehicle (two counts).
The other street racing vehicles then left from this location following the accident and proceeded to set up to race on Highway 427 North at Finch Avenue West. The vehicles proceeded to park along all the live lanes of the highway and blocked all traffic for over 25 minutes. The occupants of these vehicles left to spectate the races on the highway. SRT identified and arrested some participants from the street racing event.
SRT identified numerous people involved in the November 18 and 19 street racing events, leading to the creation of Project Speedbump.
Project Speedbump resulted in the following:
- 31 arrests
- 53 Criminal Code charges
- 69 Highway Traffic Act charges
“Dangerous driving behaviours such as those which took place on November 18 and 19, 2023, will be vigorously investigated, and the appropriate charges will be laid. Where authorized, we will seize your car. Peel Regional Police and our law enforcement partners are committed to making our roads safer for everyone. As we look forward to warmer weather, we look forward to continuing our Joint Forces partnership to address street racing through Project Erase,” said Road Safety Services Inspector Tim Nagtegaal on Thursday.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Road Safety Services Safer Roads Team at 905-453-2121, extension 3750. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.
