122 MPH VW Driver Declares Gas Tank Emergency, Then Initiates Police Chase

Woman claimed that she was doing 122 mph in an emergency to reach the gas station

• A Tiguan driver claimed she was speeding at 122 mph due to a rapidly emptying gas tank.
• After initially stopping for the police, she sped off again, prompting a second chase.
• Officers finally subdued the repeat offender by forcibly steering her vehicle into a ditch.

None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes in normal life, including when we’re behind the wheel of a car. Some folks make bad decision after bad decision after bad decision though. Case in point is one woman driving through eastern Arkansas in a Volkswagen Tiguan.

Though unnamed, we do have some important details about the female driver in question. This chase happened on April 7, 2024, just after 3 a.m. in the morning near West Memphis which is just over the border of Tennessee and in the state of Arkansas. If you’ve followed our coverage here at Carscoops you’ll know, Arkansas State Police have no qualms about using force against motorists.

More: Arkansas Police Chasing Corvette At 135 MPH Crashes Into Innocent Bystanders

Things kick off in this video with the suspect driver in a Volkswagen driving past a parked Arkansas State Trooper at 122 mph (196 km/h). Consider that dumb decision number one. Naturally, the officer gives chase and ultimately catches up and initiates a traffic stop. It takes about a minute for the VW driver to pull over. That feels like mistake number two.

Once they do pull over, they plead with the officer that they’re dealing with an ’emergency.’ What is that emergency? “I’m running out of gas!” they say. Strike three, but this isn’t baseball so the shenanigans continue on.

After a brief discussion with the screaming officer (maybe not the best move on the part of the trooper in question), the driver flees the scene again!

At this stage, the patience for this suspect is completely gone. The ASP trooper catches up quickly, uses the PIT maneuver, and begins the arrest process. “I’m just trying to get to the gas station,” the suspect cries. The connection between speed and fuel economy has seemingly escaped this woman.

When asked if she’s been drinking, she brilliantly retorts “Not a lot.” I’m struggling to count just how many bad decisions she’s made at this stage.

The video claims that this woman ended up with little more than a few tough charges like reckless driving, speeding, and having an open container of alcohol. Just remember that people like this less-than-brilliant VW driver are all over the roads. 

Young driver hit 122mph in a Ford Focus on Derbyshire A50

Witness later spotted him changing his number plate

Baron Ridgard hit 122mph in his Ford Focus(Image: Google Maps / Getty)

A fleeing driver reached speeds of 122mph and sped the wrong way down the A38 in a desperate effort to escape police.

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Baron Ridgard failed to stop for officers when they spotted him driving over the speed limit in a Ford Focus on the A50.

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The 21-year-old was going so fast that police were unable to catch up with him, and despite turning on their flashing lights and sirens, he did not stop.

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Instead he led them on a chase down the A50 and onto the A38 at significant speeds, with the pursuit becoming potentially deadly when he turned around and began to drive the wrong way down the A38.

Police considered his driving to be so dangerous that they abandoned the chase and Ridgard got away.

However, his luck was short-lived as a member of the public spotted him changing the registration plate on his car later that night, and called the police, who arrested him.

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At Derby Crown Court on Tuesday, October 19, Ridgard was sentenced after pleading guilty to a number of driving offences.

Ridgard, of Finsley Walk, Sunny Hill, had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and fraudulent use of registration plates.

Raglan Ashton, prosecuting, told the court that Ridgard had been clocked going at 122.7mph by the police on the A50 at Hilton during the chase, on Sunday, April 18, this year.

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“From start to finish the pursuit lasted for about five to six minutes and somewhere between 12 and 13 miles were covered,” he said.

“The police vehicle was clearly at some distance – the police vehicle activated its siren and lights.

“The defendant carried on his driving. He exited the A50 and then travelled along the A38 northbound.

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“The defendant was travelling at speeds of up to 110mph. The defendant then exited that road at Findern roundabout.

“He made his way around the roundabout and then drove the wrong way down the exit slip way back onto the southbound in the wrong direction of that carriageway.”

Mr Raglan said this was a move that could have lead to people being killed, and described it as a “particularly dangerous manoeuvre” and the police stopped chasing to minimise danger to the public.

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“The same vehicle was sighted about an hour later but it was clearly bearing different registration plates,” he said.

“A very conscientious member of the public had photographed three males changing the number plates.”

While police were speaking to the person who took the photo, Ridgard walked past on the street and police, upon recognising him from the photo, spoke to him and arrested him.

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In interview Ridgard told officers that he admitted to driving the car, but insisted he could not have been going at more than 70mph because the vehicle was in cruise control while being driven.

Mr Raglan said: “He accepted his driving was dangerous. He initially denied using a false registration place, but a short time later he then did accept he had used a false registration plate, but did not provide a reason for doing this.”

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Giving him an eight month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, Recorder Steven Gasztowicz told Ridgard his driving had been “incredibly dangerous”.

“You drove quite a modest car at speeds of up to 122mph,” he said.

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“I realise that was on a dual carriageway and it was a Sunday, but travelling at that speed itself is very dangerous.”

He said it was obvious Ridgard hadn’t stopped for the police and added “someone could quite clearly have been killed”.

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However, he stopped short of sending him to prison immediately, saying he bore in mind Ridgard’s young age and lack of previous convictions.

In addition to the suspended sentence, he ordered Ridgard to pay £500 in costs, undergo 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and undertake 100 hours of unpaid work.