Five motorists believed to be involved in a car rally in Calgary are headed for court after being charged with a number of traffic infractions near Longview on Sept. 13.
Sheriff Highway Patrol members ticketed the motorists, allegedly involved in the Phillydunk Rally and Road Show’s Justice Road Rally in Calgary, after they were caught driving at speeds as high as 180 km/hr on Highways 22 and 543 that Sunday morning, according to Jason Graw, superintendent of southern Alberta Sheriff Highway Patrol.
The sheriffs responded after 911 dispatch received numerous reports of vehicles travelling unsafely and at high speeds in the Kananaskis area that morning, Graw said.
“Officers located some vehicles on Highway 22 between Longview and Black Diamond, as well as on Hwy 543 near Longview around noon,” he said. “All of the vehicles stopped were displaying stickers that indicated being part of the Phillydunk event.”
Graw said a number of charges were issued through the Traffic Safety Act including speeding, careless driving, unsafe passing and vehicle equipment violations. Ten tickets were issued.
First appearance dates are set for Feb. 3, 2021 in Turner Valley Provincial Court.
Four of the drivers reside in Calgary and one in Stony Plain, said Graw. All were male.
“Driving behaviour of this nature puts all highway users at significant risk – both the motorists that were involved, as well as the average folks that were just out on the road enjoying their Sunday morning,” he said. “Speed is a factor in 25 per cent of fatal collisions in Alberta, and apprehending aggressive and speeding drivers is one of the top priorities of the Sheriff Highway Patrol.”
Among the witnesses was Turner Valley resident and councillor Jonathan Gordon, who said he was at a point of interest west of the Highwood House on Highway 40 with his wife Ruby when three vehicles roared past, travelling at speeds he estimates to be around 130 to 140 km/hr.
“That’s a bit of a blind corner,” he said. “I was a bit concerned getting into the car, wondering if there would be more coming.”
Just before reaching the cattle gate east of the Highwood House, Gordon said three more vehicles roared past. He estimates that 15 cars sped past him on his way to Longview – many on double solid lines and blind corners.
Gordon said traffic was busy that morning with several vehicles parked on the side of the road for day hiking.
When the couple reached an area with good cell phone reception, they called the RCMP.
“The officer had already indicated they received multiple calls,” Gordon said.
Gordon said they were travelling northbound on Highway 22 south of Black Diamond when they noticed three vehicles had been pulled over by sheriffs near Tongue Creek Road.
Also called to assist was Foothills County Patrol, which issued a ticket to a motorist travelling 163 km/hr in a posted 100 km/hr zone, according to Sgt. Darcy Beaudette. Beaudette said he’s unsure if the motorist was involved in the rally.
Tickets issued to motorists speeding in excess of 50 km/hr over the posted limit are an automatic court appearance, he said.
“The traffic commissioner decides what sort of fine it would be but it could be well in excess of $500 and they would be facing a possible driving suspension,” he said.
Beaudette said motorists involved in car rallies and clubs are not unique to Foothills roads in the summertime.
“We’ve had a couple of these this summer, car groups getting together for a drive,” he said. “We go out there to deter them from unsafe activities like speeding and racing. Any kind of offences that we find we address with tickets.”
A spokesperson with Justice Road Rally, who asked to be named as a “representative of the Justice Road Rally,” said he’s aware of three drivers involved in the rally who were ticketed the morning of the scavenger hunt-type event. He said none of them were charged for dangerous driving or convicted for their tickets.
In the 15 driving events hosted by Justice Road Rally over the years, he said it’s the first time he’s heard of traffic tickets being issued to participants.
“If you get a violation for speeding you’re disqualified,” he said. “We do take tickets seriously. It’s definitely not something we condone.”
