We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
Stereotyping is no-good, but in the muscle car space, every group of diehard fans with brand allegiance has a reputation. It’s known that Ford Mustang drivers are terrible at pulling out of car shows without hitting something, and Mopar owners love those bright yellow splitter guards that Dodge itself has said to ditch more than once. Oh, and they also make the news every few months for driving too damn fast on public roads.
A 23-year-old New Jersey man was recently stopped across the state line in Wallkill, New York for driving his 2009 Dodge Challenger 145 miles per hour in a 65-mile-per-hour zone. As you can imagine, this didn’t end with a simple slap on the wrist—the guy caught real charges, and rightfully so.
According to New York State Police, the man was headed west on Route 17 last Tuesday around 10:15 a.m. when he was caught in the act. A state trooper was parked at a U-turn and verified that the Challenger was driving more than double the speed limit and promptly entered pursuit. Per law enforcement, the Dodge driver accelerated once he saw the officer and exited Route 17. He was consequentially pulled over and arrested on Route 17K West.
The man was later identified as Jeremy Vanleuven from the New Jersey town of Wanaque. No specific mention was made of which Challenger model he was driving, although it was likely a top-trim SRT8. That’s the only Challenger variant from 2009 that could even hit 145 mph, at least from the factory.
Two misdemeanor charges—reckless endangerment and reckless driving—were issued to the daredevil as well as a citation for speeding. He was released from jail and is due to appear in court later this month.
Vanleuven can now add his name to the list of Mopar owners who’ve made the news for smug high-speed antics. Another New Jersey man was busted for driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk 142 mph in a 65-mph zone, hilariously smiling for his mugshot. Then there’s the Challenger SRT Hellcat driver who was tracked down after driving 150 miles per hour on an Indiana toll road. None of these come close, though, to the Hellcat heathen who hit 198 mph on public roads and uploaded a video of the criminal run to YouTube as evidence.
Sometimes, the stories just write themselves.
Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com
