And here it is, the future of police chases!
Two Tesla drivers decided to race each other on a highway in West Memphis, drawing the attention of local law enforcement. Arkansas State Police were called for help and Trooper James Collins jumped into the pursuit just as one of the Teslas took an exit ramp, leaving him to chase down the other. He not only did just that, Collins performed a brutal takedown with the help of a local cop to finally bring the stubborn Tesla driver to heel.
Watch a paralyzed driver get taken down as he flees from police.
We’ve personally witnessed quite a few Tesla owners lately hotdogging around on city streets and the highway, showing off to everyone else what their “car of the future” can do. If you haven’t seen that kind of behavior in person, you might be shocked to see two Tesla drivers racing each other and running from the law, mistakenly believing they’re all far too nerdy to even break the speed limit.
ASP overall has some well-trained troopers who know how to outdrive and therefore usually catch suspects, even if they’re dealing with a technically superior vehicle. It doesn’t take too long for Trooper Collins to get close to this Tesla after it blasts past him. With help from another agency in the form of a well-placed spike strip, the trooper has even more of an advantage.
From there, it’s just a matter of closing the gap the rest of the way and setting up the perfect PIT. The first attempt doesn’t go well, thanks in part to the driver wiggling the steering wheel a little and getting loose. Since Teslas can be fat little porkers, that makes any TVI a little more challenging to properly execute.
The second PIT attempt just results in the Tesla glancing off the cruiser. Is that because of the weight difference or is something more going on? Whatever the reason, those spiked tires keep the suspect from pulling away again. Why people who are obviously sitting ducks after blowing out their tires during a police chase don’t just pull over is beyond us.
Third time’s a charm for Trooper Collins as he PITs the Tesla and the suspect loses control, the EV spinning like a top. Even though the guy is obviously caught, he still tries one last desperate attempt to get away, but he either loses control or intentionally rams Collin’s car in the rear, spinning him out and damaging it to the point it can no longer drive as it bounces off the barrier. These Teslas are like little battering rams, which is what makes their drivers hotdogging around in them even more concerning. Thankfully, training takes over and the trooper is able to correct his broken car while the suspect also hits the barrier.
Still, this Tesla driver tries getting away, so an officer following close behind in an SUV rams the side of the EV with his push bar hard, perhaps smacking some sense into the suspect and definitely doing some serious damage to the electric car.
According to the ASP report, police found marijuana and digital scales in the Tesla. Does this mean drug dealers are concerned about carbon emissions? Is this the future of police chases?
It was revealed after the chase that the EV was rented on Turo, so think about that before putting your beloved ride on such a peer sharing service.
¿ ¡ what’s the “brakes” nearly constantly? LEO left-foot brake-riding?