Taxi driver takes passenger straight to police station after he refuses to wear face mask

Bars, restaurants and liquor stores were banned from selling alcohol in British Columbia after 8pm on New Year’s Eve

A taxi driver in Canada drove a drunk passenger directly to the police station, after he refused to wear a face mask, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

On the morning of 1 January, a taxi driver in Victoria, British Columbia, picked up a drunk passenger, who once inside the vehicle refused to wear a face mask and touched the driver’s face, according to the Times Colonist.

Residents in British Columbia are required to wear face masks when inside public indoor spaces, including taxis, in order to help stop the spread of the virus, according to Insider.

In response to the man’s behaviour, the taxi driver called 911 to report him to the local authorities. He then drove the man straight to the Victoria Police Department’s headquarters located nearby.

When they arrived at the police station, officers met the driver outside and forced the man out of the taxi and into custody, after he refused to leave the vehicle.

The man was charged with failing to wear a facial covering, abusive or belligerent behaviour, and failing to comply with the direction of an officer, according to the Colonist.

He was fined C$230 (£132.85) for each charge, ticketed for being intoxicated in a public place, and kept in custody until he became sober.

Bars, restaurants and liquor stores were ordered to stop selling alcohol at 8pm on New Years Eve, but police said they had a busier night than expected as celebrations took place.

Police in Victoria received at least 102 calls on Thursday, with a majority of the complaints about large gatherings. Until at least 8 January, residents in British Columbia are unable to meet indoors with anyone outside of their household.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, British Columbia has recorded more than 54,201 Covid-19 cases and at least 946 deaths.

According to Johns Hopkins University, there are now more than 617,000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Canada. The death toll has reached 16,120.