OPP use aircraft to nab speeders

An Ontario Provincial Police aircraft was successful in helping to get speeding motorcyclists off the highways.

The OPP’s Raven 2 was participating in Tactical Flight Patrols over Highway 401 in Oshawa on Thursday.

Three separate incidents involving drivers exhibiting aggressive and dangerous driving were observed by officers in the aircraft.

With the assistance of OPP officers on the ground, four motorcycles and one car were stopped within hours.

In one incident, officers in the aircraft observed four motorcycles travelling together at high rates of speed westbound on Highway 401 near Whites Road in Pickering just after 2:30pm. The motorcycles were observed travelling well in excess of 200 kph as they weaved through traffic and passed between vehicles.

OPP officers intercepted the motorcycles in Toronto and attempted a traffic stop. Two of the motorcycles stopped and the remaining two fled the scene.

With continued support from the aircraft, officers were able to intercept one of the motorcycles that fled and arrest the rider.

All three riders of these motorcycles, two men aged 24 and 30, as well as a female aged 41, were charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and street racing.

The 24-year old rider who fled from police was also charged with flight from police while pursued by a peace officer, drive no license and use a plate not authorized for motor vehicle.

All three had their licenses suspended for seven days and the motorcycles impounded for seven days.