SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Police are trying to determine who posted a video on YouTube showing a driver speeding and weaving recklessly through traffic on the streets of Yellowknife.

Several people complained to the Yellowknife RCMP after a video was posted on YouTube Sept. 6 showing a 1992 Acura Integra racing up Old Airport Road at speeds as high as 120 km per hour. - screen shot from YouTube

Yellowknife RCMP Const. Todd Scaplen described the video's contents as "very disturbing." He later confirmed the RCMP, with the assistance of City of Yellowknife's Municipal Enforcement Division, have been investigating the video since the detachment first started receiving complaints on Oct. 20.

The video, titled "1992 acura integra ripping thru traffic" and posted on YouTube Sept. 6, was shot during daylight hours on a mobile phone camera from YouTube user jaydee6969. The video shows the inside view of a car speeding on Old Airport Road past Borden Drive and onto Highway 3.

A few seconds into the video, just before the car begins to accelerate, one of the vehicle's occupants can be heard saying: "nothing to lose."

The vehicle then races by a grey car on the inside shoulder and then quickly approaches a white passenger van which it passes by crossing over onto the road's double yellow centre line and into oncoming traffic. The video, shot by the vehicle's passenger, then pans away from the road to show the speedometer needle reaching 120 km/h.

Next, the car swerves in and back out of the oncoming lane to pass a silver car. The driver then speeds toward a blue Sedan station wagon and attempts to pass it by straddling the centre line, nearly missing a white pick-up truck in the other lane. The two occupants can be heard on the video laughing.

The car speeds on with no other vehicles in sight, and eventually turns right onto Highway 3. The Integra, still at excess speed, finally passes a white pick-up truck on the shoulder of Highway 3 as the video comes to an end.

Scaplen said the driver in the video could face charges under the NWT Motor Vehicle Act such as speeding or driving without due care, and even criminal charges such as dangerous driving. The RCMP haven't made any arrests as of Oct. 22, he said.

One concerned resident, who contacted Yellowknifer and the RCMP about the video, said she was horrified someone would have the gall to boast about their dangerous exploits on the Internet.

"I don't want to be crude, but they're driving like asses," said the 34-year-old woman, who did not want to be identified.

"These guys think it's so funny and it's just horrifying. The fact that they're stupid enough to film it and then post it, too, 'Like, we're breaking the law in every way possible, and here it is for everyone to see.'"

The woman said she first became aware of the video after learning about it on Facebook.

"I'd like to know if the RCMP are actually going to be following (this) up," she said.

At 5:15 p.m. on Oct. 21, the video had been viewed 860 times. By 8 p.m., it had been removed from YouTube. The error message on the YouTube site indicates the "video has been removed by the user."

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