Man Arrested for High-Speed Vehicle Race on I-495

(Updated 4 p.m.) On person has been arrested for a Fast and Furious-style illegal street race on I-495 near Telegraph Road this weekend.

According to a press release, the police became first aware of the incident on Saturday around 11:15 p.m. when an officer on patrol heard loud exhaust sounds from I-495.

“Upon receiving an alert from Virginia State Police about vehicles racing in the area of I-495 and Telegraph Road, Sergeant Ryan Waple positioned himself to observe 3-4 vehicles traveling in a group, positioning themselves to race,” APD said in the release. “The drivers of two vehicles, including a silver Mustang GT, then revved their engines and accelerated. Sergeant Waple followed with due regard for safety, as the vehicles reached speeds of 105MPH. At that point, he activated his emergency equipment and successfully stopped and apprehended the driver of the Mustang GT.”

Police arrested one person for racing and reckless driving by speed, and impounded his Mustang GT.

The arrest is the latest in a coordinated campaign with Virginia State Police to address speeding and racing issues. The release noted that there are often community frustrations created by loud noise, but noted that state legislation prevents officers from initiating traffic stops for vehicles for offenses like altered exhaust systems.

“This type of behavior is dangerous to anyone these drivers are sharing the road with and will not be tolerated,” said Chief Michael Brown in the press release.  “We want to commend Sergeant Waple for his effort to stop this reckless behavior.”