Is This the Fastest Speed Achieved on a Public Road in Indiana?

​There were many consequences in store for the driver who was clocked at over twice the speed limit on a public Indiana road.

I remember my first speeding ticket very vividly. I was 18 years old and driving on US-150 from Daviess County, Indiana, to Knox County, Indiana, in a beat-up Chevy Cavalier. It was during my second semester at Vincennes University, and I was trying to make it back to town in time for class. I worked late the night before, was extremely tired, and wasn't paying the best attention to my speedometer. About halfway to Vincennes, I heard sirens and saw red and blue lights in my rearview mirror. Thinking the officer was on his way to an emergency, I slowed down and moved onto the shoulder so he could pass me. However, he stayed behind me, and eventually I came to a stop.

I was caught going 73 mph in a 60 mph zone, resulting in a pretty hefty speeding ticket. The worst part? About one month later, I was driving to Washington from Vincennes and got pulled over again for doing 72 mph in a 60 mph zone. A few weeks later, I paid them both on the same day, and being a broke college student, it wasn't fun. Those are the only two speeding tickets I've ever had in my entire life, and hopefully they will be the last. It's safe to say that the experience stuck with me and has resulted in me driving at sloth-like speeds most days. That said, speeding tickets are not always enough to deter those with a lead foot. In 2017, Indiana State Police arrested one driver for reckless driving at a very, very high rate of speed.

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According to public records, Indiana State Police clocked a 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat driving at a speed of 158 mph in a posted 70 mph zone on Friday, April 7, 2017. The car was stopped in Lake County, Indiana, and the driver was identified as Christopher Garza, 30, of Chicago. He told the police he was aware of how fast he was going and that he had just purchased the vehicle. He had two friends with him and told officers he wanted to show them what his 707-horsepower engine could do. Garza was arrested and charged with reckless driving but posted bail the next day. His car was impounded.

To date, the incident claims to be the highest speed ever recorded by patrol officers in the Hoosier state. That said, it wouldn't surprise me if some have gone faster and just not gotten caught. Either way, I don't recommend you try and shave time off your GPS map by speeding, as you never know who you could end up hurting in the end. So, if you drive a Dodge Challenger Hellcat or another sports car, drive responsibly.