Kelowna: Alleged street race yields fine and driving prohibition, no conviction on racing charge
A 56-year-old Calgary man must pay a hefty fine and faces a lengthy driving prohibition after being convicted of dangerous driving in an incident police allege was a street race that killed one driver.
Michael John Bell pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle Tuesday and the two charges related to street racing, namely causing death by criminal negligence-street racing and causing bodily harm by street racing, were stayed.
For the dangerous driving conviction, he received a $7500 fine and 18-month prohibition from driving anywhere in Canada.
On Apr. 10, 2009, the West Kelowna RCMP were called to a single vehicle rollover in an orchard near the intersection of Boucherie and Pritchard roads.
Bell's red Porsche and a white BMW were seen apparently racing at excessive speeds along the rural road prior to the crash.
The BMW lost control on a corner and rolled several times, killing the 47-year-old driver, Steven Kurt Ewert, and injuring his three passengers.
Bell was sentenced Tuesday.
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