'No reason for it': Police say driver was going 180 km/h on 401, weaving between vehicles near Chatham

Police officers patrolling a stretch of Highway 401 have charged two drivers with excessive speeding — just north of where a mother and her son were killed in a six-vehicle collision last Sunday.

Police radar registered a vehicle at 130 km/h exiting a construction zone on Highway 401 near Kent Bridge Road on Friday afternoon. 

Then the officer watched the vehicle weave between traffic, narrowly missing a pick-up truck, while speeding up to 180 km/h.

A male driver from the United States was pulled over and charged with careless driving and speeding. 

"Going those speeds, when you hit another vehicle you're going to cause a lot of damage, a lot of chaos," said Chatham-Kent OPP Const. Jay Denorer.

"There's no reason for it," said Denorer. 

Earlier that morning a London man had his vehicle impounded after police radar registered his vehicle traveling at speeds in excess of 160 km/hr, police said.

The driver was exiting the same construction zone along the 401 near Mull Road in Chatham. 

He's been charged with stunt driving and has had his license suspended. 

Tragic stretch of road

A third driver was charged on Wednesday after police radar registered the driver doing more than 140 km/h in the same construction zone that Friday's drivers were leaving.  

All three drivers were charged just north of last Sunday's deadly six-vehicle collision on highway 401. 

• 'It hurts us all': Essex MPP calls for answers after Highway 401 crash claims mother and son

• OPP identify mother and son from Amherstburg killed in six-vehicle crash near Chatham

In that crash, Lacie Brundritt, 42, and her son Kyle, 14, were in a pickup truck with two other people when a tractor trailer heading west collided with several vehicles that were stopped near Dillon Road around 4:40 p.m., according to Ontario Provincial Police.

No charges have been laid in the crash but politicians and police officers are warning drivers about the dangers of the roads following the fatal collision. 

'It brings it home'

Denorer went to the funeral and visitation for the Brundritt family this weekend. 

"I didn't know it at the time when I was standing on the scene, but I actually met the driver," said Denorer. The driver used to work with his girlfriend. 

"It brings it home to us," said Denorer. 

He said that people need to avoid what he calls the 'big four' that lead to collisions:

• Distracted driving
• Aggressive driving
• Speeding
• Lack of seatbelt use

Denorer said that people on the highway this long weekend need to allow for extra time to make sure they drive safe.

"You can't blame anyone else but yourself if you're speeding, driving aggressively or being distracted by being on the phone," said Denorer.