B.C.’s director of civil forfeiture is suing an 18-year-old who is accused of driving a Tesla involved in events immediately preceding a horrific collision between another vehicle and a semi-trailer truck on the Pattullo Bridge last month — that left three people dead and one injured.
According to a notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court Wednesday, the Tesla driver fled the scene after either “racing with, or in the alternative travelling with, a Nissan Altima” that slammed into the truck in the southbound lanes of the east end of the Pattullo on Valentine’s Day.
The court documents say the young man was arrested last week and his car — a 2022 Tesla Y model — has been impounded.
In a statement to CBC News, the Surrey Police Service confirmed the arrest.
“An individual was arrested and subsequently released,” said SPS spokesperson Ian MacDonald.
“We are anticipating that once we put together our recommended charge package, it would hit B.C. Prosecution Service and then they would assess our charges and the grounds for those charges.”
Previous charges
The CBC is not naming the Surrey driver, who has not been charged in relation with the collision and has not responded to the lawsuit.
The notice of civil claim says the director of civil forfeiture is seeking the forfeiture of the Tesla, which it claims is an instrument of unlawful activity.
The lawsuit says the driver is accused of failing to remain at the scene of the accident, excessive speeding and driving in a careless manner.
According to court records obtained by CBC News, the same young man was charged last September under the Motor Vehicle Act with having tinted windows and using an electronic device while operating a motor vehicle on a highway.
The vehicle in that incident was an Acura.
The 18-year-old is scheduled to make a court appearance in relation to that charge later this month.
Witnesses assisted police investigation
MacDonald said the collision is being investigated by the RCMP’s criminal collision investigation team.
He said witnesses to the accident helped lead to the man’s arrest, but he wouldn’t go into the details of what police believed had happened immediately prior to the accident.
According to earlier statements from police, the three people who were killed and the one person who was injured were all passengers in one of the cars involved.
The driver of the semi-trailer truck was unhurt and remained on scene.
None of the allegations contained in the lawsuit have been proven in court.
