Olympic Runner Sha'Carri Richardson Arrested For Driving Too Fast As Life Imitates Sport
Sha'Carri Richardson is fast. You might say it's her job, as she's an Olympic gold medalist sometimes referred to as the "fastest woman in the world." It turns out she's also fast behind the wheel, which has gotten her in hot water after getting caught doing 104 mph just outside Orlando, Florida, according to the Associated Press. This qualified for Florida's new super speeder law, resulting in Richardson's arrest for doing what she does best: going fast.
Orange County deputies say that Richardson had been "dangerously tailgating" and weaving through traffic on State Road 429 near Stoneybrook Parkway, according to WESH. This may explain why the Orange County Sheriff's Office made a Facebook post all about the super speeder law the following day, though it did not mention Richardson or her arrest. Under this law, driving either 50 mph over the posted limit or over 100 mph qualifies as "dangerous excessive speeding," punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine up to $500 for a first offense. Richardson has already posted a $500 bond and been released.
The need for speed
Richardson is fast on her feet, but she's no stranger to speed of the four-wheeled variety, either. She's been seen at times with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, at the 2021 Met Gala as well as the United States Grand Prix at COTA. We don't know if he's given her any driving tips, but it would probably be best if she kept those high-speed shenanigans out of Florida. And Virginia, for similar reasons — ask us how we know.
It seems Richardson is also no stranger to controversy. While she won gold and silver medals at the 2024 Olympics, she was disqualified from the 2020 Olympics for testing positive for marijuana after winning the 100-meter race at the Olympic Trials. Though not known as a performance-enhancing drug, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency had still banned it, despite it being legal in many states. (To be clear, Richardson was not charged with any alcohol or drug offenses during her speeding arrest. It also feels weird to write the phrase "speeding arrest.")