OFFENCE: Dangerous Driving and Failure to Remain at the Scene of an Accident – motorcycle
RESULT: Not guilty (resolved by way of traffic ticket)
DEFENCE LAWYER: Sean Fagan
Regina v. R.D. – May 2018
Charges: Sections 249(1) Criminal Code of Canada – dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
Hawc Helicopter catches a Race motorcycle
R.D. was alleged to have crashed his racing motorcycle into a parked vehicle, causing damage to the bike, the parked vehicle, and leaving himself unconscious on the ground. Multiple people called 911 for immediate medical and police assistance as R.D. appeared to be seriously injured. Prior to the police and ambulance arriving, R.D. regained consciousness, picked up his bike, and fled from the scene. One of the witnesses remained on the phone with 911 and explained that he believed R.D. to be intoxicated and evading police contact. Meanwhile, two other witnesses got into their vehicle and followed, relaying his location to the police.
As the two witnesses followed R.D., he purportedly drove at high rates of speed in and out of traffic eventually causing the witnesses to lose sight of him. Then comes Calgary Police Service HAWC helicopter, a military-style police helicopter with tools to get to any location in the city in a flash and record high definition video footage from long distances away. Hawc helicopter was able to identify R.D.’s location and locked in its high-quality camera, which provided speed readings, and a superimposed street map. R.D. was purported to have been travelling at twice the speed limit and sped between cars with narrow margins. Hawc helicopter was able to relay R.D.’s location to numerous mobile police officers, including the TAC team (SWAT).
The SWAT vehicle ultimately caught up to R.D. at a red light but did not activate lights and sirens. When the light went green, R.D. took off again at a high rate of speed between vehicles demonstrating skilled control of the motorcycle. At the next intersection, R.D. stopped for the red light, and multiple police vehicles moved in and arrested R.D. for dangerous driving and a multitude of other Traffic Safety Act offences.
R.D., like many Calgarians, needed his license to work. He recognized that his license was on the chopping block, and he retained Sean Fagan to help him. On the day of trial, Sean Fagan was successful at having the entire matter resolved by way of a simple traffic ticket with no driving prohibition.