‘Downright dumb’: Teen driver arrested after reaching 140 mph on Las Vegas freeway
Police helicopter tracked dangerous overnight incident that officials say could have turned deadly
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — An 18-year-old driver was arrested early Monday morning after leading Nevada State Police on a high-speed chase that reached an estimated 140 miles per hour on U.S. 95, police said.
According to a social media post, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department helicopter, AIR5, spotted a light-colored sedan traveling at an estimated 120 to 140 miles per hour near Charleston Boulevard just after 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Police called the incident ‘Dangerous, deadly, and downright dumb,’ in a post on the social media platform X.
AIR5 followed from above as the driver wove between vehicles, cut across lanes and used the shoulder to pass, police said. Sparks could be seen coming from the speeding car as the helicopter struggled to keep pace.
A ground officer intercepted the vehicle on the southbound I-15 ramp from U.S. 95. The 18-year-old driver showed signs of impairment, according to officers.
Three additional teens were in the car, ages 16, 17 and another 18-year-old. No one was hurt.
The driver was taken into custody and the vehicle was impounded.
Law enforcement officlals said they are aggressively targeting dangerous driving both on the ground and from the air. In 2025, 148 people were killed on roadways in LVMPD jurisdiction.
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