Langford driver responds after getting hefty fine for tossing cigarette butt out the window

West Shore RCMP tweeted a photo Thursday afternoon of a $575 fine issued to a driver in Langford who was spotted throwing a cigarette butt out the window.

The individual also admitted to the officer it was his second time being caught for the offence.

The tossing occurred at the Veteran’s Memorial Parkway and Goldstream Avenue intersection in Langford – which, incidentally, is also right next to the Westshore RCMP detachment.

The driver argued that the ticket was “insane”, but the police maintained that the act was “simply wrong and ILLEGAL.”

Driver Responds After Online Backlash

After hours of facing backlash on social media, the driver, Tony Reaume, defended his actions in an interview with CTV.

According to Reaume, he was expecting a fine for littering, but that he had not violated the Wildfire Act because he had made sure that the butt was not lit before throwing it out.

He also felt that he was being “convicted without a fair trial,” after the story went viral and he was faced with anger from the public.

West Shore RCMP spokesperson Const. Alex Berube responded by pointing out that a “cigarette butt cannot be extinguished if it’s not done properly,” and the assumption is that the butt was still lit.

As of today, Reaume plans to contest the Wildfire Act ticket in court.

According to the B.C. Wildfire Act, anyone who mishandles burning objects can be subject to the same penalty.

These fines may seem heavy but are justified considering the fact that B.C. is still under a state of emergency because of all the wildfires in the interior mainland.

Not the First Driver in Langford to be Fined

On July 13th, another driver in Langford threw a lit cigarette out his window in front of a Westshore RCMP cruiser. He also received a ticket under the Wildfire Act for $575.

So next time you’re wondering where to throw out your cigarette, save your butt from getting fined and find a safer disposal method!