Police across the country sometimes find themselves in a tough spot on the highways, especially when they’re up against high-performance cars. These modern speed machines can do things that most police vehicles simply can’t keep up with. Recently, in Arkansas, state troopers faced just such a challenge—but in the end, the suspects didn’t get away for long.
The chase began around 10 a.m. on November 29 in Earle, Arkansas, a small town about a 30-minute drive from the Mississippi River. According to local reports, 19-year-old Isiah Menner and two passengers were pulled over for a routine traffic stop. But instead of stopping, Menner hit the gas, turning the situation into a high-speed chase.
As the car sped through the area, local police realized they needed backup and called in the Arkansas State Police. Trooper Matthew West was the closest to the scene and joined the pursuit. At this point, Menner’s risky driving became more obvious. He was weaving between lanes without signaling and narrowly missing other vehicles on the road.
Trooper West tried to stop the car using a PIT maneuver, a technique to force a fleeing car to spin out, but Menner managed to stay in control of his vehicle. Then, things got even crazier. Using radar, police clocked the Chrysler 300 racing at an astonishing 174 mph on a highway where the speed limit was just 55 mph. That’s more than three times the allowed speed!
Eventually, Menner left the highway and headed into city streets, making the chase even more dangerous. For safety reasons, Trooper West decided to end the pursuit. It turned out to be the right call because the suspects soon stopped driving altogether. They parked the car and tried to cover it with a tarp to hide it. However, a local Fish and Game officer spotted them in the act. Within minutes, two of the suspects were arrested, and Menner was taken into custody shortly after.
If you’re wondering how a Chrysler 300 could hit such insane speeds, it’s worth noting that while there isn’t an official Hellcat version of the car, the SRT-8 model is a beast in its own right. It comes with a powerful 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine, boasting 470 horsepower (or 485 horsepower for the 2023 model). This allows the car to reach a top speed of 175 mph, making it one of the fastest sedans around.
Thankfully, no one was hurt during the chase, and the suspects are now facing justice. It’s a reminder that even the fastest cars can’t outrun the law forever.
