18-Year-Old Pushes Former Police Dodge Charger Past 120 MPH During Chase

Sometimes we worry our youth can’t tell the difference between video games and reality. Case in point: an 18-year-old used a former police Dodge Charger to lead deputies in the Bend, Oregon area on a high-speed chase which pushed past 120 mph.

Suspect in a police chase seems to think he’s playing a game of tag.

Even for an experienced driver, going so fast on public roads where anything from a pothole to a car pulling out in front of you could prove fatal is just a dumb idea. But for a kid who isn’t all that experienced to try a stunt like that, well it’s extra stupid.

But, as reported by local news outlet KTVZ,  the teenager did just that on the evening of April 15. It started with reports of the black and white sedan going well over 100 mph on Highway 97 in through Jefferson and Deschutes counties.

Deputies in Jefferson County tried chasing the kid, but called it off, handing the mess to deputies in Deschutes County. That’s when one deputy spotted the Mopar and started giving chase, but called it off after the suspect pushed past 120 mph.

During the short chase, the deputy said the kid was almost sideswiping cars while passing them, possibly even driving into oncoming traffic. It sounds chaotic, just like we’d expect from a teenager who thinks he’s immortal.

A sergeant realized whether deputies pursued or not the teenager was going to keep driving recklessly at high speeds, so stopping him was critical to preventing a serious crash. A deputy was able to successfully deploy spikes, sticking multiple tires.

Shortly after, 18-year-old Liam Byrne lost control, the Dodge Charger Pursuit leaving the roadway, crashing through a wire fence and irrigation pipes before stopping in a field.

Authorities don’t believe intoxication was a factor in the chase, which leads us to one obvious conclusion: the kid got Forza/Gran Turismo confused with real life driving. Or he has a death wish. But since it’s fashionable to blame everything on video games these days, we’ll just go with that.

Image via Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office/KTVZ

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