Another Darwin Award Winner

[sailortjk1]

This dude tried to cross a draw bridge as it was opening.

from Boatnerd.com

Driver escapes injury after attempting to jump Homer Bridge

7/3 - St. Catharines - A St. Catharines driver tried to jump the Homer Bridge Tuesday while it was being raised, police say.
When the driver realized the attempt was failing, he escaped from the car before it plunged into the Welland Canal. The canal was closed for several hours so the Buick LeSabre could be fished from the shipping lane. Police said the driver was not injured, but “unhelpful with respect to how his vehicle ended up in the water.”
Officers were called to the bridge just after 7 a.m. by a witness who saw the car fall into the water between Locks 2 and 3. After interviewing witnesses, police said they believe the driver was speeding east on Queenston Street towards the Homer Bridge. At the same time, the bridge was being raised to allow a freighter to travel through the canal.
Police said witnesses saw the Buick accelerate rapidly, despite a warning siren, red warning lights and the raising bridge. It crashed through the warning gate and sped up on the bridge.
As the bridge continued to rise, police said “gravity took over” and the vehicle stopped, then started to slide backwards. The driver jumped out of the car as it rolled down the bridge, through a gap in the canal wall and into the water. The retrieved car had a smashed front window and its back end was dented.
Police said the closure of the canal was a significant expense for the Seaway and maritime traffic.
Phillip Boucher, 45, of St. Catharines has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. He’s scheduled to make his first court appearance Aug. 29.
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. said it will cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to replace a bridge warning gate that a driver crashed through on Canada Day.
But it says the real cost was to the Queenston Street drivers trying to cross the Homer Bridge, which was closed for hours Tuesday. “The greatest inconvenience was to the general public,” said Seaway spokesperson Andrew Bogora
From the St. Catharines Standard

[erps]

He's been watchin' too much "Speed Racer".

[jerryrlitton]

LOL I know where I am going to forward this.

[sailaway21]

Finally an answer to the question of what are Buicks good for. I've got a Ford truck that looks like it's jumped that bridge more than once.

[Johnrb]

Another Darwin Award Winner

Not quite - a Darwin Award can only given to someone who killed himself while performing a public service (i.e. removing one more idiot from the human gene pool). This clown only got arrested - pity because Mr. Boucher appears to be prime material for a Darwin. I expect he will try again at some future date - I only hope some innocent bystander isn't hurt as well.

BTW - this is funny and I would love to see the lawsuit from the Seaway authorities for delays and damages.

[LittleMissMagic]

The article failed to mention if he was wearing a black suit, hat and sunglasses.

[Sapperwhite]

Phillip "Frankenstein" Boucher was on his way to the hospital probably

[CalebD]

This had to happen in Canada, eh? The quote: the driver was “unhelpful with respect to how his vehicle ended up in the water.” is a give away clue. The cops did not 'Rodney King' him or send him off to Git-mo!
It was a stupid stunt in either country though.