Saanich Police say they’re closing in on possible consequences for at least three motorcycle riders after videos surfaced online allegedly showing them stunting, speeding and weaving in and out of traffic at speeds up to 300 kilometres an hour down the Pat Bay Highway.
“These individuals here clearly have no regard for their own safety, and they have no regard for anyone else’s safety,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades. “It’s only a matter of time unfortunately that someone is going to get seriously injured or killed.”
Police say the reckless driving prompted over a dozen 911 calls. Saanich Police responded and attempted to stop the bikers, but they sped away at even higher speeds.
“They were doing multiple laps which kind of shows their arrogance and disregard for the rules of the road,” said Anastasiades.
The videos however give plenty to go off of. They were posted to Colin Penzel’s TikTok account, which has since been deleted, as have all other social media accounts with that name.
A phone screen saver in the video shows a vaccine card under the same name.
But legally, it’s not a home run.
“The video on its own is unlikely to result in a conviction,” said Michael Mulligan, a criminal lawyer in Victoria.
And history has shown that proving who is behind the wheel can still be complicated.
In 2012, a YouTube video went viral showing a motorbike racing at similar speeds on the same highway. But in the high-profile case of alleged dangerous driving, the driver was acquitted because the Crown didn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt who was behind the wheel.
“The person posting the video may not be the person in the video,” said Mulligan, who actually acted as defense counsel in the case which went in front of Victoria’s court in 2013.
But a conviction is not impossible, and lessons learned by Saanich Police from the case are being applied in this case, a decade later.
“He did lose his motorcycle. And that’s an option that we’re certainly looking at. We’re also working closely with ICBC and Roadsafe BC as well, who ultimately give permission for these riders to be on the road,” said Anastasiades, hinting at Saanich Police possibly pursuing a driving license revocation or a ticket with point demerits.
Given the multiple videos, personal information included, and mounting eyewitness statements, Saanich Police is confident the reckless thrill-seeking racers’ 10 seconds of fame, in one way or another, is up.
Kori Sidaway
