A 19-year-old Orlando man faced arrest after reportedly engaging in an extreme speed indulgence on Interstate 4, which concluded with his motorcycle bursting into flames. According to WFTV, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said the incident occurred around 7:35 p.m. last Thursday when Najier Tyrique Haines was clocked traveling around 130 mph in a 65-mph zone.
Haines' ride ended abruptly, and he was arrested on charges of reckless driving, fleeing to elude, and the rather specific crime of dangerous excessive speeding. As reported by ClickOrlando, Florida's "Super Speeder" law, which became effective on July 1, played a significant role in the legal outcome for Haines. This law categorizes excessive speeding, defined as traveling 100 mph or more, or 50 mph or more over the posted speed limit, as a criminal offense rather than a civil infraction. This gave law enforcement the authority to make arrests following such egregious traffic violations.
The sequence of events leading to Haines' detention began when a deputy attempted to pull him over upon registering his speed. The official, opting for public safety, deactivated the siren and lights, choosing not to pursue Haines due to the high speed and potential hazard involved. After decelerating due to an apparent malfunction that ignited his motorcycle, Haines was found by the deputy a short distance from where he had initially evaded the stop.
Upon his arrest, "Haines told the deputy he was on his way to his uncle's house and had recently stopped to fuel up at a nearby 7-Eleven," according to the deputy's account as noted by ClickOrlando. This confession, paired with the absence of other motorcycles in the vicinity, corroborated that he was indeed the rider who had fled earlier. There were no exits or on-ramps from where the chase began to where Haines ultimately had to stop because of the motorcycle fire.
