Street racing charges for Burlington man after attempted traffic stop in Mississauga

A Burlington man faces numerous street racing and other charges after police staking out a Mississauga hot spot for the dangerous and illegal driving behaviour tried to pull over a car as it left the scene.

The man faces a total of 10 charges, including fleeing from police, in connection with the Feb. 17 incident, which unfolded shortly after officers with the Peel Regional Police Safer Roads Team turned up at “a known street racing location” at Laird Road and Ridgeway Drive in the city’s west end.

Police said in a news release on Thursday the officers were in the area at about 12:55 a.m. when they identified a driver leaving the scene and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.

“However, the driver fled from the scene,” police said, adding officers made an arrest about two hours later at a home in Burlington.

According to police, SRT officers use various enforcement strategies to “target aggressive and high-risk drivers” in Mississauga and Brampton. They specifically hone in on illegal street racing, a growing problem in recent years in Peel and across the GTA and southern Ontario.

“SRT officers target offenders using various investigative tactics and analytics to track high-risk drivers that pose an increased risk to public safety within our community,” Peel police said in the news release.

Chad Morrison, 24, of Burlington, is charged with:

• dangerous operation
• flight from peace officer
• drive under suspension
• race a motor vehicle
• drive motor vehicle (perform stunt)
• use plate not authorized for motor vehicle
• operate a motor vehicle without insurance
• drive motor vehicle, no licence
• drive motor vehicle, no currently validated permit
• fail to apply for permit on becoming owner

His driver’s licence was suspended for 30 days and the car was impounded for two weeks.

He’s next scheduled to appear in court on March 18.