Google Street View driver pleads guilty in 193kmph police chase

A Google Street View driver pleaded an apology after leading Indiana police on a 193kmph chase that came to a stop in a creek. — Photo by Suzy Brooks on Unsplash

A Google Street View driver pleaded guilty to leading Indiana police on a 120mph (193kmph) chase that ended in a creek.

Coleman Ferguson, 37, copped to causing that July 31 pursuit on Monday, according to a police report obtained by The Smoking Gun. His felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor after he agreed to pay more than US$3,200 (RM15,145) restitution and accepted a suspended one-year jail sentence.

The Middletown, Indiana police officer who arrested Ferguson last summer said in his report that he spotted the suspect’s unusual vehicle blowing past a high school and passing another car at nearly double the posted 55mph (88kmph) speed limit.

“(The car) was Google wrapped and had a large 360 camera on top of the vehicle,” the police report said.

The Google driver then picked up speed when the officer turned on his sirens and gave chase. Police said the suspect swerved in and out of traffic and blew through a red light before attempting to make a left turn where a bridge was being repaired. The vehicle went “airborn for several feet” before coming to a stop in a creek in a northeast suburb of Indianapolis.

Coleman reportedly had prior conviction for driving with a suspended license and expired plates. He blamed “being scared” led him to flee from police. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service