Multiple incidents of drivers exceeding 100 mph reported within days
BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KBTX) – The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be aware on the roadways and talk with their kids after two high-speed arrests this week.
The incidents were unrelated, with teens reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour on popular roadways in Brazos County.
“Lately we’ve had several in our community not just in the County, but in Bryan and College Station, with people speeding at high rates of speed like a hundred miles an hour and over,” Brazos County Sheriffs Deputy, Christopher Searles said.
On Monday, an 18-year-old male was arrested after police clocked his vehicle at 117 miles per hour. This incident began on Highway 6 and he was stopped by officers near Deacon Drive. He is also facing alcohol-related charges behind the wheel.
On Tuesday, a 19-year-old female was arrested by the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office after deputies observed her speeding at 107 miles per hour and weaving through traffic. She is facing charges relating to fleeing officers and drug paraphernalia possession.
The College Station Police Department also shared a picture with KBTX showing a traffic stop that was initiated after officers clocked a vehicle at 126 miles per hour.
Searles says the reasons people speed can vary, but the danger is the same.
“They would give all kinds of different stories, you know, ‘I’m late for this’ or whatever, a lot of them were ‘I didn’t realize I was going that fast’,” he said. “You’re going to skid, you’re going to lose control, you could go off the road, you can go off a bridge, you can slam into somebody else, the trees, the traffic poles. I mean all that kind of stuff that’s out there. It just makes it dangerous not only for you but for everybody else.”
Not only do all drivers need to heed the warning and slow down, but Searles says this is the perfect opportunity for parents to share some reminders with their kids. Especially, surrounding the implications of hitting excessive speeds.
“When you’re traveling at those high rates of speed like that you can’t react fast enough to something else like somebody pulling out in front of you a person walking out in front of you or an animal running in front of you. Your body physically cannot react fast enough, make the decision to hit the break and then actually hit the brake and come to a stop,” Searles said.
During one of the incidents this week, the driver, in addition to excessive speeds, weaved through traffic according to court documents. This is where Searles says all drivers on the road need to be paying attention and know what to do if a pursuit is happening nearby.
“The best thing is to get you and whoever else is in your car or whatever out of that way. So just pull over and stop on the shoulder of the road. Just kind of get out of the way, just the same as if a fire truck and ambulance or a police car was running lights and sirens going to a call: move over and get out of the way,” he said.
In addition to the dangers, Searles says the cost of speeding tickets is determined by the amount over you’re going, these types of excessive speeds lead to tickets worth hundreds of dollars.
Both teens have been released from Brazos County jail.
