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A mayoral candidate and current city councillor is facing a fine from Charlottetown police for passing a school bus.
Mitchell Tweel said the incident happened in September. However, the ticket was only recently filed in provincial court.
Tweel said he had stopped beside the school bus on a street while he was going into town and that he pulled into a subdivision after the bus drove away to report the incident to police himself.
“My mind was somewhere else, not paying attention like I should’ve had been. To the bus driver’s credit, he sounded the horn and I immediately came to a complete, total stop,” Tweel said.
“I take full responsibility. I’m … very, very sorry that this had happened. I’m remorseful. I was really upset with myself.”
Mitchell Tweel represents Ward 4 – Spring Park on Charlottetown city council and was first elected in 1994. (Ken Linton/CBC)
Tweel represents Ward 4 – Spring Park in the city and was first elected in 1994, serving for nine consecutive terms on Charlottetown council. He announced his intentions to run for mayor in early August.
P.E.I. has some of Canada’s stiffest penalties for drivers caught and convicted for not stopping for a school bus, including a driving suspension for up to three months and fines as much as $5,000.
Tweel said he is taking responsibility for his actions, and intends to pay the fine and move on.
He said he doesn’t believe the incident will hurt his campaign for mayor as Charlottetown residents prepare to head to the polls Nov. 2.
“I think honesty is the best policy,” he said. “I believe that, you know, once I realized what had occurred, I took the responsible course of action.”