DILDO, NL — A video taken Thursday night in Dildo of a car unexpectedly driving into oncoming traffic is getting a lot of attention online.
Police were still investigating the incident as of Friday afternoon, according to Sgt. Dion Foote, commanding officer for the Whitbourne RCMP detachment.
Cathy Warren, who reported the incident to police and shared two videos on her Facebook page that were viewed over 90,000 times combined, told The Compass she noticed the vehicle ahead of her was a bit too close to those passing by in the left lane. They had left the Trans Canada Highway and were en route to Dildo.
"He was a little bit swervy on the road, and the next thing you know he was over on the other side of the road, and he drove 300 or 400 feet like that," said Warren, who was a passenger in the vehicle behind the white Pontiac Sunfire and eventually started filming the driver.
Towards the end of the first video, which is almost two-and-a-half minutes long, the car can be seen veering into the left lane with oncoming traffic visible ahead. The driver did not stop, forcing the other vehicle to pull over into a driveway that was conveniently located at that spot along the main highway. Warren said this happened shortly before the driver turned into the Blue Whale Lounge and Eatery in Dildo.
Can’t believe what we just witnessed coming down the shore tonight. A driver of a Pontiac Sunfire steering head on into...
Posted by Cathy Warren on Thursday, December 28, 2017
"I don't know if anybody recognizes the end of that driveway, because if that driveway wasn’t there, that person would have ended up in the ditch," said Warren. "They had no other choice. That driver (in oncoming traffic) never pulled back over into his lane or attempted to at all — as you can see by the video."
The driver of Warren's video agreed to pull over into the parking lot of the Blue Whale. Warren contacted RCMP and continued filming, observing the driver as he walked into the establishment.
Sgt. Foote told The Compass officers responded immediately to the original complaint. The vehicle and its registered owner were located, and Foote said the investigation was still ongoing as of Friday.
"We're not 100 per cent sure why he was driving the way he was driving," Foote said, also confirming police found no signs of impairment.
"We're just doing a thorough investigation and seeing what else could explain that type of driving," he said. "I saw (the video) too and I understand her concern and I'm glad she phoned in. Lots of times, people drive that way maybe because they're texting or maybe because they're dodging potholes or maybe because they're not paying attention. There's all kinds of reasons why people drive like that."
Police subsequently contacted Warren following the initial investigation.
"They couldn't smell anything on him and his eyes weren't bloodshot and he wasn't staggering or anything like that … Whether he was impaired or not impaired, he was driving recklessly, and I'd like to see him charged with reckless driving. And I think I have enough evidence for that."
Foote meanwhile would openly encourage the general public to report these sorts of events.
"It could be a couple of potholes or because of poor driving or texting — we don't care why they're calling, as long as they're calling us so we can follow up on it."
