Impounded Lamborghini auctioned off

VANCOUVER – The British Columbia government auctioned off Tuesday an exotic Lamborghini seized last year as one of 13 exotic sports cars involved in a single street-racing incident.

The Canadian provincial government official in charge of the sale wouldn’t divulge a price, saying it "could jeopardize the ongoing forfeiture negotiations," the Vancouver Sun reported.

The Italian-made Lamborghini’s owner consented to the sale, said Phil Tawtel, acting executive director of B.C.'s Civil Forfeiture Office.

Police seized five of the 13 vehicles, and three of the cars impounded are still in the court system, the National Post said.

Witnesses spotted the cars involved – a Ferrari, three Lamborghinis, three Nissans, two Maseratis, two Mercedes, an Audi and an Aston Martin – last August driving 200 km/h (125 mph) on a busy highway between two Vancouver suburbs.

Some cars in the pack would slow traffic so others could race ahead. Many of the drivers – 12 men and a woman – were 21 or younger and only one was the registered owner of their vehicle. Six of the drivers still carried a “novice” license designation; BC has graduated licensing.

Dan Na Zhu, the 21-year-old woman driver involved, said later in court that she was only driving her Aston Martin 115 km/h (71 mph), and that her 20-month driving prohibition should be overturned, the Sun said.

The group met at a Richmond mall to drive to a restaurant in neighboring White Rock near the Washington State border to celebrate a friend’s acceptance to a California university. Police received several 911 calls reporting the incident.

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