EDMONTON — Video surfacing on social media showing what appeared to be a car crash in Edmonton is drawing attention to the problems of street racing and stunting.

Posted to Twitter on Saturday by Michael Elliott, Edmonton Police Association president, the video shows a yellow car driving at a high speed when it loses control and hits a tree.

The car’s owner tells CTV News Edmonton that he was standing in a nearby parking lot when the crash happened.

“I heard some tires squeal and I turned around,” said Shariff Kamaldin.

Kamaldin said the driver was not injured and that the passenger was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

“That’s what really matters,” he added. “Metal is replaceable and people aren’t.”

Two days after the accident black tire marks are still clearly visible along the road at the crash site.

Some have created a memorial for the broken tree.

Kamaldin said the accident happened during an event hosted by AutoClubYEG, an organization focusing on bringing together car enthusiasts from across the city.

The club formed about five months and has had success in connecting people passionate about cars.

“We’ve met a lot people, we’ve had a lot of success,” Kamaldin said, who also helped found the organization.

“Friday night just got a little bit carried away,” he added. “I guess everyone can really take it as a learning lesson on everything.”

Kamaldin said in the future he would ensure there are stricter rules in place.

“You build a car and you want to have fun with it,” he shared. “I’m not even going to lie to you, we do have fun with our cars and it should be privately, it shouldn’t be publicly or it should be taken to a track.”

CTV News reached out to Edmonton police for details about the incident.

EDMONTON — A 22-year-old is facing dangerous and impaired driving charges after a Dodge pickup truck collided with several parked vehicles in the Hazeldean neighbourhood Sunday morning.

Police officers responded to reports of a collision near 98 Street and 70 Avenue around 9:45 a.m.

A Dodge Ram pickup truck was eastbound along 70 Avenue when the driver hit multiple parked cars. Police say three cars and two motorcycles were struck by the truck before it flipped onto its side.

The driver fled the scene on foot but officers were able to locate and take him into custody.

No one was injured in the incident.

Kyle Lajimodiere faces various charges, including dangerous and impaired driving.

Additional charges are pending as the pickup truck was stolen, police say.

“It’s pretty rare to see anything like this in a low-speed neighbourhood, especially near a school zone,” Fire Capt. Josh Brown told CTV News Edmonton at the scene.

“There was a bit of a fire that we had to extinguish and the oil pan in the pickup was broken so there was quite a bit of oil to clean up.” 

EDMONTON — An Edmonton Oil Kings player died in a car crash early Saturday morning in Surrey, B.C.

Sixteen-year-old Caleb Reimer died after the car he was in crashed into a tree.

Officials say all three of the vehicle’s occupants, including Reimer and two other hockey players, Ronin Sharma and Parker Magnuson, were declared dead on scene.

Police, along with Emergency Health Services and the Surrey Fire Service, responded to reports of a crash in the Fraser Heights neighbourhood at about 2:47 a.m.

Surrey RCMP did not release the names of the victims but confirmed they were all boys between the ages of 16 and 17 and that their families had been notified.

Mounties in Surrey, B.C., say three people have died after a vehicle crashed into a tree early Saturday morning (CTV News) 

Reimer signed with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2019 and attended their virtual U-17 camp last summer.

He came off a successful first season in the Western Hockey League (WHL), and was noted as one of the breakout players on the team’s roster during their 2020-21 Central Division Championship season.

In 19 games with the Oil Kings, Reimer recorded three goals and two assists.

Kirt Hill, Oil Kings president of hockey operations and general manager, said that the team was deeply saddened to learn of Reimer’s tragic passing.

“I want to express our deepest condolences on behalf of the entire Edmonton Oil Kings organization to the Reimer family and to the families of Ronin Sharma and Parker Magnuson,” Hill said in a statement.

“Caleb was a young man with a bright future both on and off the ice.  He was a person that you loved to be around, he was a great teammate and a great friend.”

The Surrey, B.C. native was selected by the Oil Kings in the first round, 18^th overall, in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.

“I will never forget the first phone call we had the day we drafted him to the organization and the excitement of Caleb on the other end of the line,” Hill added. “We will all remember his first WHL goal at the DCA (Downtown Community Arena) and the pure joy and excitement that followed in his celebration with his teammates.

“We will truly miss having Caleb in our lives each and every day.  He was part of our family and will be a tremendous loss in all of our hearts.”

Before signing with the WHL team, Reimer played as a forward at the Delta Hockey Academy in Delta, B.C. for three seasons, posting 35 points, including 17 goals and 18 assists in 36 games.

The Oil Kings said it would be providing support to Reimer’s family and team members.

The investigation into the accident continues.

The National Hockey League sent condolences to the family of the three teenagers killed in the accident Sunday afternoon.

Brad Lauer, Oil Kings head coach, said in a statement Sunday evening that the past 24 hours have been extremely difficult for the team.

“Reimer had a bright future ahead and it was rewarding as a coach to see him develop as a person,” Lauer said. “Despite a shortened schedule, Caleb showed huge improvement in his first season.

“He was one of those kids you love to coach – always a smile on his face and was excited to be part of our team,” he added. “He was driven to succeed and was an exceptional athlete – a player who makes your whole team better in his presence. He will be greatly missed by the coaches and the entire Oil Kings organization.”

With files from CTV News Vancouver and The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — A video posted to twitter by the president of the Edmonton Police Association shows a car losing control and spinning into a tree.

Edmonton Police Association President Michael Elliott tweeted the video Saturday, saying, “Recent gatherings at the Terwillegar Rec Centre have been causing safety concerns for all.”

Elliott went on to add that there were around 200 to 250 vehicles in the area at the time.

“We have too many people racing/dragging/stunting as citizens are being killed or hurt,” tweeted Elliott.

He added police are investigating the incident and no one was killed.

EDMONTON — After nearly losing his life and career to alcohol and drug addiction, an Alberta horse racer and trainer is making his comeback.

Tyler Redwood said his fight started when he was a child, growing up in Saskatchewan.

“Elementary school I didn’t feel I fit in right,” said Redwood. “I went through mainly a white school so I was one of colour that was picked on for the most part.”

When he was around 12, he said he started drinking to fit in. In 2012, he suffered a broken jaw after crashing his ATV into a tractor and turned to other drugs to ease his pain.

“I was smoking marijuana and doing it regularly for hours and hours upon a day and eventually it led to more, led to prescription pills, cocaine,” said Redwood.

He ended up walking away from his career as a horse driver, trainer and farrier.

“I felt like all hope was gone, I thought everybody had given up on me,” said Redwood. “My performance wasn’t well and I thought everybody was starting to see it.”

He ended up seeking help for his addictions because of a question his daughter asked him.

“’Why don’t we see you no more.’ and it was because sat in my garage and just choose to self-medicate so I didn’t have to be around and feel anything,” said Redwood.

“I felt guilty, I felt ashamed of who I was.”

The next day, he went to an addictions meeting.

“When I walked through the doors I knew it’s where I belonged, I knew I was safe, I knew I was going to be okay and never turned back ever since,” said Redwood.

“Some people get far lost, they think there’s no helping it. There’s no shame, there’s no nothing that goes along with asking for help.”

In 2020, while he worked to stay clean, Redwood was asked to train a horse that wasn’t performing well anymore.

“When I picked her up, she looked like me the day I went to a meeting, head down to the ground, coward, scared, defeated,” said Redwood. “Once I felt some of her energy in a race, I knew there had to be something more to this girl.”

Since Redwood started training her, they’ve won seven races together.

“I don’t think anyone would have predicted she would go on to be the race horse she did,” said Redwood.

“It’s better an any high that drugs or alcohol has given me, because I know how far I’ve come, I know where I was when I was at my low to where I am now.”

Redwood is currently three years sober and 19 months drug free.

“The fight is always there, every day,” said Redwood.

“There’s light at the end of it, you might be in the darkest times, you might be lost somewhere, but there is freedom, there is happiness… you just have to find yourself, within yourself, and ask for a helping hand.”

He added that his past will always be a part of who he is, but it’s made him stronger and he believes he is a better person – especially in the eyes of his daughter.

“I believe she’s happy to call me dad again,” said Redwood. “There’s no better feeling, there really isn’t when they can hug you and love you and call you dad.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson