Matthew charged with stunt driving
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 by: SooToday.com Staff
CITY POLICE
NEWS RELEASE
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Yesterday morning officers with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Street Team charged 21 year old Mathew Lewis with one count of Stunt Driving and seized his vehicle.
Officers observed Mr. Lewis proceeded across Second Line West near Goulais Ave. on an un-plated off road motorcycle.
While crossing the road Mr. Lewis “popped a wheelie” by having his front tire raised off of the road surface while crossing.
As a result Mr. Lewis was charged with one count of stunt driving resulting in a 7 day license suspension and seven day impoundment of his 200CC Saga off road motorcycle.
Operating a motor vehicle in this fashion, and in a high traffic area such as this, is not only dangerous to the driver but to members of the public as well.
Motorists are reminded that off road vehicles are prohibited from being operated on the roadways within city limits.
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To read today's full City Police Beat report, click here.
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jim 10/31/2012 1:04:06 PM Reportthis law is way over abused... its meant for racers on the 401... not old men going down hwy 17... or kids popping a little wheelie... this kid will probably never be able to afford insurance.... insurance company lobyists have gotten these rules made and police are supporting them by being so strick with it
angens 10/31/2012 1:17:25 PM ReportYeppers, poor dude will prob not be able to have insurance for a looooong time! or will be paying about 8-10 Gee's for a year...bummer rooneys!
opinionated 10/31/2012 1:17:38 PM ReportThis story aside, I think 50 km/h over any speed limit warrants this charge, there is NO excuse for that other than "stunting". Not saying I've never done it in my life either, but any time I have I was screwing around. This law definitely makes me think twice about doing it any more.
bricat 10/31/2012 1:32:13 PM ReportI think that the police went a little to far.Think about it screw up the kids driving record for popping a whellie.Come on!All they had to do was give him a warning.He would of learned and thought twice before doing it again.I'm dissapointed in you guys.
pizza-guy 10/31/2012 2:01:02 PM ReportAll everyone does is complain the police in this city don't do anything. When they do, it is still nothing but complaints! He was speeding, riding a trail dirt bike on city streets, and had no plates on his bike. The cops were supposed to just give him a warning?? Good for them for giving him a ticket!
Stevie-E 10/31/2012 2:04:12 PM ReportSo why have I never been pulled over for "stunt driving," or using an "unlicensed off-road vehicle" on city streets.
The guy obviously doesn't care about the law by pulling that shit. Newsflash! HE IS and people like him are the reason why insurance is through the roof for young males in this province. Not the ones that have one or two fender benders in a lifetime.
Make an example of these people. Insurance is brutal enough. The the guys get screwed to begin with but he is not helping matters by acting like an idiot.
If he wants to BRAAAP! somewhere, there are some nice pits up in Heyden and Goulais
guestwho 10/31/2012 2:09:41 PM Reportread the post,he wasn`t speeding,he raised his front tire CROSSING the road,heaven forbid,good work again BARNEY
Boomer4771 10/31/2012 2:19:32 PM ReportThe police have saved this dumb ass from killing someone or himself. You want to disobey the law like he has then he deserves the fines. A driver like this shouldn't have a license to drive. The people who are saying poor kid, give your head a shake. What if your child or parent was walking across the road and got hit by this idiot. Would it still be POOR KID ? Thank you officers for doing your job at taking off aggressive drivers from our streets. Do you really think this was HIS first time doing this?????
Stevie-E 10/31/2012 2:22:24 PM ReportHey GuestWho
They also said that his vehicle was unlicensed. Have a coffee.
Stevie-E 10/31/2012 2:22:48 PM Report*Unplated
Same thing.
cashcab 10/31/2012 2:26:00 PM ReportI cant believe the cop would do that. Thats another poor soul destined for a life on welfare, because he won't be able to afford insurance, there for no car, can't get to work, then he turns to a life of crime to support his drug habit. He turned to drugs because he is sick of his unfulfilling existance. All this because he he popped a wheelie across second line on a dirt bike, when he was 21. Huh.
I think back now about the 500 times I did this when I was young.
Also now that they have charged this young man with this offence, the next kid is not going to stop for the police and there will be a chase leading to a fatal crash. A KID ON A DIRT BIKE WILL RUN!!!!!
Like other readers have said, way to harsh and there are alot of other lesser charges that could have been issued. Way to go!!
Stevie-E 10/31/2012 2:29:17 PM ReportCashcab.
Can we blame you or your parents for you turning out to be an idiot?
Thanks for the intelligent comments!
cashcab 10/31/2012 2:36:27 PM ReportBy the way BOOMER, your talking out your ass. Been driving for 36 years, accident free and have popped more f#%^*n wheelies in my life than evil kenevil. It is a fact that kids who drive and race dirt bikes, four wheelers and snow machines are for the most part better drivers in the end than those who have not.
Bobbi1969 10/31/2012 2:38:07 PM ReportBeing that Matthew is 21 he should of known better and there is always the bus !.. this is not an excuse for him not to have a job or be a drug dealer.
cashcab 10/31/2012 2:43:27 PM ReportYour the idiot Stevie, alot of other things they could have charged him with that wouldn't have been so harsh. This charge can be more costly than an impaired.
CleaningTeam 10/31/2012 3:05:22 PM ReportI don't know exactly when this happened, I don't really care to look, but I was at the intersection of Goulais and Second Line, and a guy on a bike did a wheelie through the intersection, Now I thought he was seriously going to crash into the front of my car. Same guy or not, whatever, people cannot be doing this. Sometimes it takes one to ruin it for all, But lessons need to be learned. No matter what anyone says!
I don't need to be hurt over a EGO!
CleaningTeam 10/31/2012 3:07:53 PM ReportI just saw, that it was yesterday morning. I had seen this about two weeks ago, So this obviously happens more than once!!
ROZ 10/31/2012 3:09:44 PM ReportToo Harch!!!!!!
Ricatoni 10/31/2012 3:09:53 PM ReportLEWIS???? sounds familiar?? Who knows maybe his mom or dad are loaded or influential in the community you know.. they can get a lawyer and get him off on a first offence...thats how it works doesnt it?? if not oh well he will be running under someone elses insurance for a while..like his girlfriend or MOM >>>>:)stupid stunt now he will have to pay..think twice or at least look around before you pop a wheelie on the street could cost ya....DA LMAO!!!!!Dummy!!!!
Neon_Angel 10/31/2012 3:33:00 PM ReportWhether or not we agree with the law or the punishments handed out by violating it, the fact is, it is still the law.
Now you can choose to either abide by the law, or break it and deal with the consequences.
So the only question is, was he breaking a law? Yes.
He was breaking the Highway Traffic Act - ONTARIO REGULATION 455/07.
3.1 Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to lift some or all of its tires from the surface of the highway, including driving a motorcycle with only one wheel in contact with the ground, but not including the use of lift axles on commercial motor vehicles.
And that's not including his driving on a roadway with an un-plated off road motorcycle.
So therefore he should be charged, and have to deal with the punishment associated with the crime.
saultresident 10/31/2012 3:55:29 PM ReportThe police didn't get Matthew in trouble, Matthew got Matthew in trouble! We are all responsible for our own actions.
Stugatzu 10/31/2012 4:04:48 PM ReportHe's on the walking program now. Bravo! While I don't quite agree with the "stunting" charge, I do agree that he needed to be punished. Could have slapped him with driving without insurance, and use of an off-road vehicle on a roadway. Lifting the front wheel off the ground isn't really considered "aggressive" driving as much as it is "wreckless/careless". He'll have to lawyer up if he wants to dispute it.... assuming he can afford one.
The law is in black and white to read.
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/about/bill203.shtml
Boomer4771 10/31/2012 4:18:18 PM ReportHey CASHCAB. I love it when people like you shoot off their mouths. You said it all. Keep popping wheelies but you have to try and stop landing on your butt. You are showing severe brain damage. Hope your the next one that gets charged you dumb ass.
Ilakebandit 10/31/2012 4:39:37 PM ReportMaybe now that Matthew Lewis has had his name plastered all over the news he could return the favor by giving the name of the police officer that couldn't give him a lesser charge rather than being so harsh...and you can bet now very few people on off road vehicle's will stop for police.
K MICK 10/31/2012 4:40:28 PM Reportway to harsh it will be 7 years for him to even get insurance. i already went through this, they could have give him a no plate fine or no insuurance or somthing. its not like he was down town queen street. a good police officer would explain the severity off the offence an then hand him a small fine to remind him to never do that again. this is the reason kids run from cops all the time and one of these times it will be fatal
MR40 10/31/2012 5:02:13 PM Report he was charged and your reading about it hear because he DONT KNOW ANYONE. he not important. his dad or mom is not a doctor, lawyer,police officer ect..thats why..
JustMe1234567 10/31/2012 5:07:30 PM ReportCan't blame the police for doing their job! Everyone complains the police don't do enough, now everyone is complaining the police did too much.
...damned if they do, damned if they don't.
anapeg 10/31/2012 5:10:35 PM Report Cops in this burg must be a masochistic lot. If they do their jobs they are wrong and if they did not do their job they would be wrong. Damned if they do and damned if they don't. Go figure?
jean-paul 10/31/2012 7:02:40 PM ReportGOOD and I hope he walks the shithead all winter.When stunt driving,you put everyone in danger.
jean-paul 10/31/2012 7:03:44 PM ReportGOOD and I hope he walks the shithead all winter.When stunt driving,you put everyone in danger.
Boomer4771 10/31/2012 9:17:09 PM ReportMaybe the police will allow us to do brake torques and donuts at this intersection. NOT. Again thank you to the police officers that caught this 22 year old not 16 or 18 year old, showing off and endangering the general public. He hopefully will learn that this behavior isn't accepted on main streets of this city. Go play and hurt yourself on a track or sand pit.
ttb 10/31/2012 11:34:10 PM ReportYo Matty did the wheelie pay off? I mean did you at least get the girl, or just like, nothing cause that would suck!
ttb 10/31/2012 11:35:35 PM ReportI want to know how to "Walk the Shithead" never heard of it sounds fun!
toodles 10/31/2012 11:46:03 PM ReportWhat was Matthew doing on a city street with a dirt bike anyway? He knows right off hand, that it isn't legal, not to mention the bike wasn't even plated. And then to do a wheelie across a street like Second Line/Goulais Ave.? You folks that say he should've gotten a lesser charge or off with a warning are morons. He broke the law, not just with the wheelie, but all the way around. It's not like he is a 16 yr old trying to impress his buddies here. The law is the law, and he broke more than one. If he feels that he's been wrongly charge, fight the damn ticket and see where that will get him. Hey Matt, time to grow up and take your medicine like a man and accept responsibility for what you done wrong. And good luck fighting this, cause guess what? YOU LOSE!!!
Robert.mc.gaughey 11/1/2012 2:36:43 AM Reporti agree he should be punised,but he wasnt speeding,,,he was being a kid, i wish i could do that still,dont you?if u ever did live a little on the wild side,,come on ..when i saw the pic i chuckeled,,i remember when i tried for the first time ,,road rash all over,pavement is a great place to practice all though i agree that he shouldnt have done it there or at least payed attention to his suroundings(ok he is quilty of thatlol) we need more places like bike parks.where they can play, so they dont do this on city streets, when i was a kid that was the booneys the city has grown and all the places to play have gone to..also i agree if u can pull off a wheelly like that u are a great driver compared to someone who gets into a situation where this kid does it for fun,just a ticket like no plates and a stiff warning that next time his ass is ?ucked, and the others are right to he should have gotten something yes yes yes. not that far come on he is learning, growing he is still a kid more or less.i would rather him riding that dirt bike then sitting on his couch smoking dope. or robbing stores ect. to get insurance in his own name,good luck on that,well we all know how insurance companys are ,,raise ur rates for anything and everything allready, and yes now kids are going to run in fear of loosing there posible future or loosing there bikes,,god forbit one gets hurt or hurts someone trying to run..sure if it was his second time yes he would deserve it then ,,,dont be stupid people look for cops first lol.just my opinion,,opinions are like a bum crack everyone has one,,and this mine thanks for reading it and for u people who still have hate for this kid think of it like this what if this young man as ur son ,nephew,ect. who is possibly married or has kids ,i know 5 mins of stupitity if u rob a bank should get u 7 yrs but riding a bike u earned and proud of and did a stunt in 5 mins got him 7 yrs in sence to,,,they will rake him over the coalse for 5 to 7 yrs of outragious rates, they will! for what being a kid...i could go on but for the comman folk i think i said enough, thanks for listening anyway
Note: Comments that appear on the site are not the opinion of SooToday.com. Keep discussions civil and on topic. Refrain from obscenity and don't post anything that your grandmother would be ashamed to read. Those who do not abide by these guidelines will have their membership revoked without notice. If you see an abusive post, please click the link beside the post to report it.
