Image: A vehicle driven by a 16-year-old collided with a parked dump truck near Popkum on July 21. / Provided by BC Highway Patrol
Road safety

Abbotsford teen facing multiple fines after being clocked at 180 km/h in Popkum

Jul 28, 2025 | 11:39 AM

POPKUM — A teenager’s trip in his step-mother’s BMW ended with a collision and nearly $1,800 in fines after an incident on July 21 that caught the attention of the RCMP BC Highway Patrol.

Police say they recorded the teen driving a grey BMW sedan at 180 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on Highway 1 at Popkum.

Due to the excessive speed, police chose not to pursue the vehicle for safety reasons. Then, just a few minutes later, police received a call from a nearby resident stating a grey BMW had gone through a stop sign and collided with his parked dump truck.

The crash occurred near the Highway 9 off-ramp. Police arrived and confirmed the collision involved the same BMW that sped away from police earlier.

Image: A vehicle driven by a 16-year-old collided with a parked dump truck near Popkum on July 21. / Provided by BC Highway Patrol

The driver was a 16-year-old boy from Abbotsford. Police say he owned a Class 7 Learner’s licence. He had two teenage boys in the vehicle with him as passengers.

“He will also have to explain why his stepmother’s car is sitting in an impound lot with thousands of dollars in damage,” said RCMP Corporal Michael McLaughlin.

The teen has been prohibited from driving for a year. Police also issued a series of violations:

· Excessive speed (over 60 km/h over the limit), section 148(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) with a fine of $483;

· Drive without due care and attention, section 144(1)(a) of the BC MVA ($368);

· Pass on right of roadway, section 158(2)(b) of the BC MVA ($109);

· Fail to obey stop sign, section 186 of the BC MVA ($167);

· Drive contrary to restrictions (no supervisor), section 25(15) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (MVAR) with a fine of $109;

· Drive contrary to restrictions (too many passengers), section 25(15) of the BC MVAR ($109);

· Drive contrary to restrictions (no L sign), section 30.10(2) of the BC MVAR ($109);

· Cracked windshield, section 239(1) of the BC MVA ($109);

· Improper display of front licence plate, section 3.02 of the BC MVAR ($230);

“We tell you these stories because we want you to stay safe and avoid the financial pain of enforcement and the emotional and physical pain of collisions,” says Corporal McLaughlin. He warns drivers to make a conscious decision to slow down and obey the law every time you drive a vehicle.