Florida man arrested after driving 155 mph on I-4, troopers say

Florida man accused of driving 155 mph in 60 mph on I-4

A 20-year-old man is in custody after troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol said he was going 155 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - A 20-year-old man is in custody after troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol said he was going 155 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone.

‘A missile going down the interstate system’

What we know:

Florida Highway Patrol arrested 20-year-old Octavius Hunt early Sunday after clocking him at 155 mph on Interstate 4 in Seminole County — 95 miles over the posted speed limit. 

Hunt was driving a Dodge Challenger with three passengers when a trooper conducting radar enforcement spotted the car around 1 a.m. 

Octavious Hunt (Credit: Seminole County jail)

Troopers coordinated a traffic stop by positioning patrol vehicles in front of and behind Hunt’s car, eventually pulling it over safely onto the shoulder of the highway. Hunt told troopers he believed he was only going about 80 mph as he drove to a friend’s house.

Troopers believe Hunt may have been trying to show off the car’s capabilities. Fortunately, no one was injured.

FHP photo.

What we don't know:

It's unclear if Hunt has any prior traffic violations or whether the car was his first. 

The backstory:

Florida recently enacted tougher laws against extreme speeding, targeting drivers exceeding 100 mph or going 50 mph or more over the posted limit. The "super speeder" law aims to curb a rise in high-speed crashes and fatalities across the state. Troopers say Hunt’s case fits the very behavior the law was designed to penalize.

Dig deeper:

Designed to reduce extreme speeding and prevent fatal crashes, the law now treats high-speed violations with stricter penalties — up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for first-time offenders. Second-time violators face up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

What they're saying:

The posted speed limit in the area was 60 mph.

"Ninety-five over the posted speed limit — that is a missile going down the interstate system — and it can kill someone" said FHP spokesperson Tara Crescenzi.

Authorities say Hunt was arrested under Florida’s recently enhanced speeding laws, which include harsher penalties for drivers caught exceeding 100 mph or traveling more than 50 mph over the speed limit.

"It is so dangerous to be driving that fast — not only because of the new law change and potentially facing jail time, but also the consequences of if you were involved in a crash," Crescenzi said. 

The Florida Highway Patrol urged parents to talk with young drivers about the consequences of extreme speeding.

What's next:

Hunt faces up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, and he will have his car impounded for 30 days, troopers said.