Jury finds ‘Belltown Hellcat' guilty of reckless driving
This story was initially published on MyNorthwest.com
The man known as the driver of the so-called 'Belltown Hellcat' was convicted Thursday of reckless driving, according to the Seattle Times.
After deliberating for less than three hours, the jury found Miles Hudson, 22, guilty on two counts, the Times reported—one for racing on a public street and the other for 'willful or wanton disregard' for the safety of people or property.
The trial entered its third day on Thursday in Seattle Municipal court with Hudson facing multiple charges, including reckless driving and street racing. Hudson gained infamy through videos that featured him performing risky, high-speed stunts and revving his Dodge Charger SRT's engine loudly in the city's Belltown neighborhood. The car was known as the 'Hellcat.'
In court, Hudson spoke about his motivation for participating in such reckless content, saying he initially struggled to earn money but found content creation to be a lucrative outlet.
Seattle Police Officer Oliver Murphy recounted his conversation with Hudson during a recent traffic stop, saying he advised Hudson to use a racetrack for racing in a safe and legal environment.
Evidence presented by the prosecution included video showing Hudson driving at speeds up to 108 miles per hour on city streets. Hudson denied engaging in street racing, claiming the footage was heavily edited.
Hudson has drawn repeated police attention over the past year for tearing through city streets.
Read more of Jonah Oaklief's stories here.
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