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It’s not often we see the justice system not seize a vehicle and yet tell the owner they aren’t allowed to drive it at all, but that’s exactly what’s happened with the infamous Belltown Hellcat. That might be a relief to those used to hearing the Dodge Charger Hellcat howling through the streets of Seattle, but we’re wondering what this might mean for other enthusiasts.
Teen burglars ask cop if their stolen Camaro is faster than a cop car.
It’s not just the flamboyant tiger stripes or loud exhaust system on the Hellcat that’s got the owner, 20-year-old Miles Hudson, in hot water. What really sparked the interest of law enforcement in Seattle were the videos Hudson posted on Instagram.
Many of those videos portray him going well in excess of 100 mph, racing other cars, and in general driving recklessly. We know it’s shocking to some people, but cops, prosecutors, and other people charged with enforcing the law do use Instagram.
Concerned citizens who were tired of the Belltown Hellcat’s antics were able to sleuth out his Instagram account, which sure seems to be loaded with evidence. And with well over 700,000 followers, the guy isn’t exactly hiding.
Hudson was arrested and the court told him a condition of his release on Tuesday was that he’s not allowed to drive his Dodge Hellcat for an entire year. Apparently, he can drive other vehicles, just not his Mopar muscle car.
According to police, the modified engine and exhaust on the Hellcat are designed to produce backfires which sound similar to gunshots. We wonder if that’s really true, but it seems at this point it might be up to a judge and jury to decide.
In the meantime, we wonder how many more enthusiasts might be targeted by embolden normies because of this case. We’ve owned cars that aren’t exactly whisper quiet and have endured ridiculous treatment as a result. For example, we’ve been accused of speeding through neighborhoods just because it “sounds like the car is going fast.”
With cities like New York and Chicago using cameras to ticket cars the government deems as too loud, this latest development is something which concerns us. We agree the Belltown Hellcat’s social media behavior is dumb and reckless, but at the same time we know how these sorts of things can have a domino effect.
What about enthusiasts who don’t drive recklessly, don’t do other stupid things, but their car is louder than a Prius? We hope it doesn’t get that bad but we’d be lying if we said we’re not concerned.
Source: King5
Images via srt.miles/Instagram
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