Ferrari supercar impounded July 4 (WVPD)
Bob Mackin
The 22-year-old West Vancouver man charged with driving a supercar at more than triple the speed limit across the Lions Gate Bridge lives in a $6.25 million British Properties mansion.
West Vancouver Police announced the Motor Vehicle Act charge against Yihao Wang on Aug. 21 for allegedly driving a vehicle at excessive speed relative to the road, traffic, visibility or weather conditions. Crown counsel approved the charge on Aug. 18, after police say they clocked a Ferrari speeding at 210 kilometres per hour early on July 4. The maximum posted speed on the bridge is 60 km-h.
Wang’s appearance notice, issued at 1:30 a.m. July 4, originally cited him with driving without due care and a lesser excessive speed charge. The Sept. 13 appearance in North Vancouver Provincial Court was already set.
The vehicle, a 2015 Ferrari 458 with a base price of almost $285,000, was impounded 60 days and the driver banned for 16 months by the B.C. Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.
theBreaker visited the address on the appearance notice in Wang’s court file. Wang, who is tall, broad-shouldered, wears glasses and has dyed blonde spiky hair, opened the door. He invited a reporter inside the spacious foyer and went looking for his wife, who he said could speak better English. A packed, open suitcase was situated beside the front door.
The woman said Wang would not comment, but suggested talking to his lawyer instead. After a reporter asked for the lawyer’s name and phone number, Wang stood looking through his mobile phone for his lawyer’s contact information. The couple had a brief exchange in Mandarin. Wang’s wife then said they changed their mind and said to talk to the police instead. Except for an infant, there did not appear to be anyone else in the house at the time.
The land titles registry lists Xinghui Wang as the first name on the title for the property.
The 2012-built, three-storey house has five bedrooms and six bathrooms. It is nearly 7,000 square feet with an outdoor swimming pool on a secluded 29,000 square foot lot, less than a kilometre downhill from multi-billionaire Jim Pattison’s expansive mansion.
The double garage doors were closed at the time. There were no vehicles in the driveway.
UPDATE (Sept. 13): Wang did not appear in court, but was represented by Richmond-based criminal defence lawyer David Baker. The case was adjourned to Sept. 27.
Outside the courthouse, Baker told reporters that he got the case last month. He said he would challenge the West Vancouver Police findings after what he called the force’s “unprecedented step” of seeking a prohibition on driving before the case was heard in court.
“I just picked up the particulars today, I’m going to have a look at them now,” Baker said. “So far it’s been Alice in Wonderland, sentence first, verdict afterward.”
Baker was asked whether Wang was in Canada, but said “I’m not sure where he is now.”
He declined to answer what Wang does for a living, whether he is a Canadian citizen or how the 22-year-old can afford to live in a $6.25 million house and drive a Ferrari worth nearly $300,000.
“I don’t know his personal family circumstances,” Baker said. “I don’t think his personal family background and their income have anything to do with the excessive speeding charge.”
“I don’t think it’s an offence to be from a successful family.”
Pressed further about the nature of the Wang family’s line of work, Baker stopped answering questions and said “I’m going to end this now.”
