Sha’Carri Richardson Arrested After 100+ MPH Traffic Stop
Olympic gold medalist Sha’Carri Richardson was arrested on January 29, 2026, after Florida authorities say she was caught driving more than 104 mph on a Winter Garden highway in her Aston Martin. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office charged her with dangerous, excessive speeding, citing tailgating and weaving between lanes to pass other vehicles — behavior officers say endangered others on the road. She was booked and released on a $500 bond the same day.
Body cam footage that has since gone viral shows Richardson pleading with deputies not to take her into custody, telling one officer, “I’m begging you. Don’t take me to jail.” Despite her emotional appeals and claims that she didn’t realize how fast she was going, the officer remained firm, replying “That’s why they give you a speedometer. Nothing you say is going to change that. You’re going to jail.”
The 25-year-old sprinter is scheduled to appear in Orange County court on Feb. 26 to face the misdemeanor excessive-speeding charge. Under Florida law, driving at speeds above 100 mph “in a manner that endangers people or property” can carry penalties including fines and up to 30 days in jail for first-time offenders, though prosecutors will ultimately decide how to proceed.
This arrest marks Richardson’s second legal brush in less than a year. In July 2025, she was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport following a dispute with her boyfriend, fellow sprinter Christian Coleman, though that charge did not lead to further prosecution.
Social media reactions to the speeding arrest have been split with some people calling for strict accountability considering her public platform, while others urge compassion and context, especially given her status as one of the world’s top track athletes and high-profile figures in women’s sports.
