ANACONDA — Anaconda police are looking for the driver of a super-charged muscle car who led police on a chase through two counties, reaching speeds more appropriate for the Daytona 500.
“When you reach speeds of 150 miles per hour, even the reaction time to think about touching the brake, the vehicle can travel well over 100 yards,” said Anaconda Police Detective Kyle Staley.
Police say the driver of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat fled from police the evening of July 21 in a chase that started in Anaconda and continued to Butte. The chase involved the Montana Highway Patrol and Butte Police. Law enforcement was no match for the driver’s horsepower.
Police say fleeing from police at such dangerous speed is not a victimless crime.
“The victim is all society at this point—everybody on the road, even the houses alongside the street. At higher speeds when an accident occurs, there’s no keeping it on the highway,” said Staley.
Butte Police reports the fleeing vehicle was last seen exiting the interstate on o Harrison Avenue in Butte. Detectives believe the driver was seen just before the chase at the Lakehouse Inn at Georgetown Lake and may have had a passenger with a chihuahua dog.
Staley said a pursuit at that speed is tough on officers too.
“It gets stressful and definitely after the pursuit, the adrenaline gets going and then it dumps and it’s a long night afterwards, you know. It’s scary,” he said.
Anyone with information about this case can call Anaconda Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement or leave a tip on their Facebook page.
