B.C. driver, who had pro-speeding decals on vehicle, crashes into tree

A 20-year-old novice Victoria-area driver and her three passengers are lucky to be alive after crashing into a tree.

Oak Bay police are sharing images of the collision, which occurred around 12:45 a.m. on Beach Drive, in the hopes of making a point about speeding.

“Sometimes a few photos can tell the whole story,” tweeted the department.

The pictures show the car, which police said had an ‘N’ decal, with its front end wrapped around the tree, as well as two other decals afixed to the vehicle.

One reads, “Street racing is not a crime. Well it is, but f*ck it,” while the other says, “Yes officer I did see the speed limit sign (I just didn’t see you).”

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Oak Bay police say an officer who was conducting traffic enforcement clocked the vehicle at 73 kilometres per hour in a 40 kilometre per hour zone, and engaged their police lights.

The vehicle crashed into the tree a out 350 metres further down the road, police said.

One person was taken to hospital with a potential spinal injury, but has since been released. Oak Bay police said it notified the Independent Investigation Office and the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, due to the injury coming after an interaction with police. It was not immediately clear if either agency will investigate.

Police alleged the driver had a blood alcohol level of 0.04 — under the legal limit for a fully licensed driver, but in violation of the conditions of her N licence.

The driver was handed five tickets, and police said they are consulting with Crown prosecutors on possible criminal charges.