EDMONTON – The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) has upgraded charges against a driver accused of excessive speeding with three small children in his vehicle.
On Feb. 26, a police SUV attempted to pull over a Toyota Supra after the Supra passed the police vehicle at a high rate of speed as it was travelling on Whitemud Drive.
Police say the police vehicle tried to catch up to the car, but was unable because of the speed of the car and its sudden lane changes.
The EPS Specialized Traffic Apprehension Team (STAT) was contacted. The officer in the police SUV followed the Supra from a distance as the car turned off onto 149 St. The car was stopped by police at 149 St. and 84 Ave. Three children were in the vehicle – ages three, five, and eight – along with the 31-year-old driver.
Police originally charged the driver of the Supra with careless driving and having an obscured licence plate. However, the charges have been upgraded to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and three counts of causing a child to be in need of intervention.
Police say the charges have been upgraded because of the aggressive and dangerous driving pattern, the winter road conditions, and the ages of the children inside the car.