Man arrested, facing charges for vehicle stunt on wharf

A 39-year-old man is facing charges in connection to a stunt that saw a vehicle driven off a Digby County wharf.

The driver of the vehicle, from Mayflower, Digby County, turned himself in at the Meteghan RCMP detachment on March 3.

The RCMP did not release the man's name last week because the charges he is facing had not yet been filed with the court. Those charges had still not been filed at our Monday press deadline.

The man was released on conditions following his arrest and is scheduled to appear in Yarmouth Provincial Court on April 17.

The driver is facing a charge of mischief; three charges under the Motor Vehicle Act which include stunting, driving a motor vehicle while licence is revoked and driving a motor vehicle without liability policy.

The incident took place at the Cape St. Mary’s wharf on Feb. 29. Shortly after 6 p.m., a small red vehicle was driven off the wharf, plunging into the water below. The incident saw members of the Meteghan detachment respond, in addition to other RCMP resources including members of the underwater recovery team and a collision reconstructionist. The vehicle was checked by divers to ensure no one in it.

Later, a video of the stunt was posted onto Facebook and YouTube, and was viewed by thousands.

“Investigators soon became aware that the incident was not accidental and appeared to be a stunt,” the RCMP have said.

The majority of people who saw the video condemned the act.

In the video, bystanders on the wharf comment about how the car is going to fly before the vehicle takes off at a high rate of speed and crashes through wooden piles that are part of the wharf structure. It lands on its roof in the water. Shortly after the car sinks a person wearing a helmet and flotation device surfaces while people on the wharf cheer.

The vehicle was raised from the water on Sunday, March 1.