An Atlanta man driving a 700-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat was arrested early Saturday morning after leading Forsyth County deputies on a chase that hit speeds of nearly 145 mph, the sheriff’s office said.
Lamont Rashid, 23, was taken into custody after the Charger was forced to slow down when a deputy successfully used stop strips as the car raced by on Ga. 400, the Forsyth sheriff’s office said Tuesday.
Rashid is facing charges of driving under the influence of drugs, fleeing or attempting to elude, reckless driving and six other counts of traffic infractions.
The chase began when the black Charger, with a temporary tag, was pulled over by a Forsyth deputy who noticed the car swerving as it proceeded north on Ga. 400, the sheriff’s office said. Video footage shows the deputy approaching the car’s passenger-side window and tapping on the glass, at which point the driver accelerates away and the officer scrambles back to his patrol car.
The video shows multiple deputies joining in the pursuit. As Rashid drove away from the initial stop, the pursuing deputy said he clocked the car’s speed at close to 145 mph.
The Charger then exited Ga. 400 at Bald Ridge Marina Road. As Rashid approached Market Place Boulevard, he encountered another deputy and turned back onto Ga. 400, this time heading south, the sheriff’s office said.
A third deputy deployed a stop strip, the video shows. With the Charger partially disabled, the driver can be seen activating the hazard lights before pulling over. Rashid was taken into custody without incident.
He was booked into the Forsyth County Jail and later released on nearly $18,000 bond.
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