The Arkansas State Police (ASP) have demonstrated their ability to engage in high-speed pursuits, but there are concerns about the safety of such chases. In some instances, they mistakenly targeted (and wrecked) the wrong car altogether.
In the video below they track down and nab the driver of a Dodge SRT Challenger Hellcat. To accomplish that, the trooper in question has to go above 150 mph (241 km/h). This tactic raises significant safety concerns regarding the conduct of such high-speed chases.
There’s no question that those who break the law should be held accountable. How that accountability unfolds is worthy of scrutiny though, especially when it poses risks to the safety of innocent bystanders.
Trooper Blayn Lucas of the ASP seemed to be patrolling in the center lane of the highway when his dashcam footage started. In the video, we see two cars, one unidentified and one Dodge Challenger, roll by him in lane one at very high speed at what could’ve been the end of a street race.
Read: Dodge Charger Driver Hilariously Asks Cops Why He’d Run Away In A V6 After Hitting 130 MPH
Lucas gives chase and in less than 90 seconds is blitzing by traffic doing over 130 mph (209 km/h) in the slow lane and even faster on the shoulder. Trooper Lucas nearly crashes at one point as he navigates two tractor-trailers on the highway going at what appears to be normal speeds while he approaches at 151 mph (243 km/h).
Tires screech as he skillfully avoids a self-inflicted crash, but less than 30 seconds later, he nearly loses control again with no other cars around. He overcooks it into a corner at speeds exceeding 100 mph (160 km/h). Drivers ahead of him on the road seem to be veering far off the road to steer clear in case he crashes.
Despite all of that, Lucas gets his Challenger as he uses the PIT maneuver to force the muscle car off of the road and into a guard rail. The driver had a passenger in the vehicle, a female, who said she begged the driver to stop. Thankfully, this incident ended in little more than a damaged Hellcat and an arrest. It could’ve been so much worse. Oh, and that second car that was racing with the Hellcat… appears to be something the ASP forgot about altogether.