Hellcat Driver Hits 198 MPH on Highway, Promptly Arrested

You’d think it goes without saying. But if you do something illegal in your Hellcat, don’t post video of it on the Internet.

We all know that the Challenger Hellcat is a pretty darn fast car. That’s what happens when you toss a 707 horsepower, supercharged, fire breathing Hemi under the hood of just about anything. Thus, if you own one, you’ve probably been tempted to “explore” its limits every time you slip behind the wheel. Heck, it’s practically begging you to mash the loud pedal on even the most mundane of trips. But if you decide to do something stupid like drive your Hellcat five times the speed limit, maybe just don’t post video of it to YouTube?

You’d think that would go without saying, but apparently it doesn’t. Because according to ABC News 11, a 22-year old North Carolina man was busted doing 198 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone. And that isn’t even the best part of this story. Our Hellcat pilot wasn’t even spotted doing the deed by local law enforcement. Shortly after posting video of the incident to YouTube, our dimwitted driver’s high-speed run was sent to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol by an anonymous tipster.

Only on #ABC11 the wild video of a street racing stunt in wake county. If you can believe it, the car got up to 198 MPH! @NCSHP pic.twitter.com/7kL4vBqSju

— Josh Chapin (@JoshChapinABC11) August 17, 2018

That little bit of video evidence was all it took for police to arrest the reckless youth for “being in a prearranged speed competition, speeding and reckless driving.” Needless to say, the original seven-minute video, which shows our Hellcat driver doing donuts and speeding on various other roads, has since been removed from YouTube.

The ABC News 11 segment above does show the incident in question, however. We see the Challenger Hellcat accelerating from 70 mph to 198 mph on US-1 outside of Raleigh. We also get a roadside shot showing the car fly by as it’s chased by someone on a motorcycle.

At speeds like this, they’re lucky nobody got hurt. There’s a reason why tracks exist, folks. And in case it needs repeating, if you plan on doing something illegal, don’t post video of it on the internet.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.