Release:
On February 29 shortly after 6 p.m., a small red vehicle was driven off the wharf at Cape Saint Mary’s. The call was dispatched to the RCMP as a possibly fatal collision, and members of Meteghan Detachment responded. They called in additional RCMP resources, including members of the Underwater Recovery Team and a Collision Reconstructionist.
RCMP investigators soon became aware that the incident was not accidental and appeared to be a stunt. It had been recorded on video, which was circulating on social media. In the video, the driver can be seen wearing a helmet and a personal flotation device, and drives the small red car off the end of the wharf. After the vehicle lands in the water, the person surfaces and can be heard cheering with onlookers. On the morning of March 1, RCMP divers checked the vehicle to make sure no one else was inside. They also assisted a towing company with the removal of the vehicle from the water.
This stunt resulted in tying up RCMP resources, including frontline police officers, dispatchers and communicators in our 911 centre and our Underwater Recovery Team divers who put their safety at risk to ensure the car is empty and assist in its retrieval from the water.
Meteghan RCMP is conducting an investigation into the incident and has identified the driver and other people who were involved. Police want to thank those individuals who came forward to provide information to police.