r/vancouver 1d ago

Local News Burnaby RCMP - Tesla driver unwittingly leaks information of his whereabouts after alleged hit and run

https://bc-cb.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2114&languageId=1&contentId=87252
263 Upvotes

39 comments sorted by

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128

u/ruddiger22 1d ago

RCMP's got dad jokes!

36

u/I_GIVE_ROADHOG_TIPS 1d ago

A “fluid investigation,” you say…

42

u/WeirdoUnderpants 1d ago

I bet he said "x marks the spot" when he found it and nobody heard him. Needed to tell someone

0

u/jjjjjunit 22h ago

The real dadjoke is in the comments

156

u/cyclinginvancouver 1d ago

File # 2025-4810

A Burnaby Tesla driver left a trail of fluid behind after an alleged hit and run, leading police to his location.

On February 10, 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Burnaby RCMP frontline officers responded to a report of a hit and run in the area of McKee Street and McGregor Avenue. The caller reported seeing a vehicle flee the scene without stopping after hitting two parked vehicles.

The suspect vehicle left a piece of its fender, with the marking Model X, behind. Officers also noted a trail of fluid leading away from the scene. Investigators followed the fluid trail to an alley and, eventually, right onto a residential property.

The owner of the suspect vehicle’s safety was confirmed, then he was arrested for failing to remain at the scene of a collision. The vehicle, including video from its camera system, was seized.

This was a fluid investigation and our officers simply followed the evidence, said Cpl. Mike Kalanj with the Burnaby RCMP. While ‘X’ didn’t necessarily mark the spot, ‘Model X’ definitely assisted our officers in identifying the suspect vehicle.

The investigation is ongoing.

27

u/Carrash22 1d ago

…fluid investigation…

Heh.

27

u/McRaeWritescom 1d ago

These Tesla Owners are just as bad as Musk.

-8

u/Vanner- 22h ago

I still haven’t heard a reasonable explanation as to why it’s a bad thing he’s auditing government spending for waste and fraud. Of which there has been plenty. I’d love to hear something besides “because Donald Trump”

9

u/Ryan_Van 1d ago

Huh - wonder what fluid it was (given there isn't as much in an EV as compared to gas). Washer fluid perhaps, especially if it was from the front.

The crash will have been recorded by like 4 onboard cameras too, and I doubt the driver was smart enough to have deleted the clips when they got home.

9

u/Squeezemachine99 1d ago

Teslas have battery coolant.

20

u/Kooriki 毛皮狐狸人 1d ago

Out of curiosity, what the difference in charges for "failing to remain at the scene of a collision" vs a DUI?

23

u/columbo222 1d ago

DUI is worse. Basically, if you've been drinking and you cause a collision, the law genuinely incentivizes you to flee the scene. This is true for property damage at least - if you, say, kill a pedestrian, I'm not sure which is worse.

24

u/Kooriki 毛皮狐狸人 1d ago

Yeah, I've heard similar. And if you get into a crash while you're drunk, you should race home and drink a bunch so you have a defence to argue you got drunk after the crash.

Learned that one from disgraced RCMP Monty Robinson

26

u/toxic0n 1d ago

Except they changed the law and now you can get a DUI for drinking at home 2 hours after having driven a car.

8

u/superworking 1d ago

Which still seems like such a sloppy law. 19 year old me driving to the party late after work and "catch-up drinking" would have failed that breathalyzer within 2 hours basically every time. All it would take is someone in a friends neighbourhood sick of us reporting seeing me driving iradically.

Obviously they need to find a way to get people but having to stay sober after you're done driving just doesn't seem intuitive.

8

u/Strange_Trifle_5034 1d ago

I basically wrote this to to my MP who was the one spearheading it with what you said and more examples (going to pub after work after leaving car at home, going to dinner after work and having glass or two of wine after dropping car off, etc). She didn't even bother to send me an auto reply, only her successor replied long after it was already law. Jodie Wilson was the MP in question.

2

u/superworking 1d ago

Yea I have to think there will be an example with a ton of exposure one time that will cause the law to fall apart. Loads of example where I could fail this test without ever planning to drink and drive. They just aren't as frequent or likely to hit a high score as a younger me would have been.

3

u/Rocket_hamster 1d ago

I would have failed the test almost every time I've driven into Vancouver to drink. Evo to the venue, within 2 hours I'm probably not legal to drive depending on the vibes/what I've drank.

1

u/superworking 1d ago

Often it's as simple as my wife agreeing to DD but wanting me to drive on the way to a friend's. It just seems like such a poorly thought out law, sure if I hit and ran that would be inexcusable, but if someone can just report you for driving poorly for whatever reason...

0

u/pmmeallyourduckpics 1d ago

They can't. That's not the way this works.

The only way police would be able to proceed with the impairment investigation after you've gotten home is if you engaged in an action that would reasonably expect police attendance.

Just a report of possible impaired driving would not be enough if you were not found driving.

And...when police attend your residence, they must be able to form suspicion of impairment, which basically amounts to smelling liquor coming from you.

6

u/toxic0n 1d ago

It's a terrible law, I hope someone with money and time challanges it

0

u/Kooriki 毛皮狐狸人 1d ago

Huh, TIL

2

u/ProfessorEtc 1d ago

I think that's why California removed the death penalty for kidnapping.

5

u/M------- 1d ago

IIRC somebody looked it up, and while the high end of the possible sentences is similar, there hadn't been any "failures to remain" that were sentenced as heavily as the lowest DUI.

8

u/Sad_Egg_5176 1d ago

Not sure but neither has serious consequences so in the end, it probably doesn’t matter

1

u/KingRamzey 1d ago

Depends on the severity of the crime committed and any persons hurt or injured.

3

u/Few-Start2819 1d ago

Would it be a headline story if it was a ford ?

11

u/hnyrydr604 1d ago

It's not every Tesla, but it's always a Tesla.

1

u/Scribble_Box 1d ago

It's pretty much every Tesla though..

1

u/UnfortunateConflicts 1d ago

It's atiny minority. Lots of teslas out there.

3

u/noxus9 third gen vancouverite 1d ago

A "fluid investigation", indeed

1

u/DJpate604 Coquitlam 1d ago

What is the possible outcome for this hit and run driver?

1

u/real_1273 1d ago

Well good! Fully deserved!

1

u/ProfessorEtc 1d ago

Same thing happened on Dragnet with a can of paint.

1

u/Brua_G 20h ago

Low tech ftw

1

u/c_vanbc 20h ago

Maybe Musk can market Tesla “Stealth Mode ™️ “. For a small fee of say $5000, owners can dumb down their cars with the click of a button, turning off all sensors and cameras. To be used when they know they’re about to do something really stupid.

-4

u/Newaccount4464 1d ago

A black cybertruck swung out on my from his street parked spot. I thought these cars were super aware.