Possible Westisle car rally shut down

Any plans that might have been brewing for a car rally in West Prince this Saturday have been shut down, Prince District RCMP report.

Administration from Westisle Composite High School contacted the RCMP on Wednesday after receiving information that a car rally, which might encourage participants to engage in risky behavior, was in the planning stages for Saturday. Although the rally was not a school-endorsed activity, it was referred to on social media as a Westisle rally.

“We found out about it, we spoke to the individuals involved, and the rally is no longer taking place, but we’re still going to monitor the situation,” Prince District RCMP’s Sgt. Darrell Gill said in describing the police response.

He said officers spoke to about 10 individuals who were believed to be involved in some way in the planning of the event. He would not confirm if any of them were high school students.

Trevor Wood, a vice-principal at the high school, said he couldn’t confirm if a particular group of students were involved, but he said it is understood some students were spoken to by the RCMP.

He commended the RCMP for their quick response and for getting the activity stopped. “They certainly understood where we were coming from when we contacted them for support on this one,” said Wood.

He pointed out it never was a school activity and there are no plans to have a school assembly to address it.

“We have no problem, as far as offering counselling, to any students who feel they would benefit from it. That, of course goes for any incident,” Wood added.

Gill said no charges are anticipated but he admitted that might not have been the case if the rally event went ahead. Highspeed driving, drinking multiple shots in a time limit and running a red light were some of the events on a rally list that circulated on social media.

“The main thing here is it’s shut down,” he said. “It could’ve been a safety issue not only for (participants) but for the public, as well.”

Despite the belief the event has been shut down, Gill said the police will be watching and listening this weekend.