In a shocking incident that took place on Wednesday, June 7th, around 2 p.m., an unidentified driver caused chaos on the Pat Bay Highway near Sidney.
Video footage captured by Batista Salem shows a red Audi traveling in the wrong direction, heading north in the southbound lanes of the Pat Bay Highway—it is believed the driver ended up in the wrong lanes at the intersection of Island View Road.
The footage of the vehicle was captured between Weiler Avenue and Beacon Avenue on the Patricia Bay highway, catching the attention of alarmed motorists.
Eyewitnesses recall the heart-stopping moment when the red Audi defied the flow of traffic, forcing vehicles to maneuver out of its path.
One particularly close call involved a truck, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with the reckless driver. Dashcam footage captured the frantic scene, revealing the desperate attempts of fellow drivers to evade the danger.
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP said they were alerted of the incident from several witnesses. Cpl. Andres Sanchez Flores told Victoria Buzz several officers were dispatched to search for the rogue driver, however, neither the driver nor the vehicle was located.
The following day, police received dashcam footage that revealed the licence plate and the registered owner of the vehicle was identified.
“This was an incredibly dangerous situation and we are grateful that no one was harmed. It was reported that there were several instances where this driver nearly caused head on collisions. At highway speeds this could have been disastrous,” said Corporal Andres Sanchez, Media Relations Officer with the Sidney North Saanich RCMP.
Shocking dashcam captures wrong way driver on Pat Bay Highway in Sidney.
The incident occurred at around 2 p.m. on Wednesday. RCMP are now looking to identify the driver. Full story below. #victoriabuzz #yyjtraffic pic.twitter.com/hwpVSsuEjt
— Victoria Buzz (@victoriabuzzes) June 8, 2023
Fortunately, there were no crashes as a result of the incident.
The registered owner has been charged under the BC Motor Vehicle Act and “further investigation is pending to determine why and where the vehicle entered the oncoming lane,” said Sanchez.
Anyone with information can contact the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP at 250-656-3931.
