January 20,2026
RED FM News Desk
A BC Highway Patrol officer has removed a vehicle from the road after discovering a series of serious safety issues, including a door held closed with a welded garden gate latch.
The incident happened January 9, 2026, around 4 p.m., when an officer conducting speed enforcement on Highway 3 near Christina Lake stopped a grey Acura travelling at 130 km/h in an 80 km/h zone.
During the stop, police found the vehicle was not roadworthy. Among the defects, the rear window was missing and had been replaced with rebar and duct tape, and the driver’s door would not stay shut without the improvised latch. The car also showed extensive damage that had been roughly repaired with bodywork and spray paint.
The driver, a 22-year-old man from Kelowna, received a ticket for excessive speeding under the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act. The vehicle was impounded for seven days at the owner’s expense and towed from the scene. Police also issued a notice and order requiring the vehicle to be removed from the road until all defects are repaired and it passes a full inspection. The driver is expected to face higher insurance premiums for at least three years.
BC Highway Patrol says any modification to critical vehicle components such as doors, windows, steering, brakes, or suspension requires an inspection, and drivers operating clearly unsafe vehicles should not expect police to overlook those conditions—especially when speeding.
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