A dramatic but not-so-fast police chase unfolded on the early morning of October 29th on I-24 West in Nashville. A reckless driver in a Dodge Challenger collided with a patrol car after an erratic series of…unintentional donuts? Watch the officer’s dashcam footage below.

The dashcam footage begins with a fairly calm scene. Officer Joe Medina cruises behind the Challenger, which merged onto the highway from Korean Veterans Boulevard. The driver signaled, appearing to make a routine move, but things quickly took a turn. That is, a “complete 360.”

The Dodge Challenger spins out, over and over, as the driver struggles to regain control.

While the police department doesn’t specify this Challenger’s trim level, we know anything with a Hellcat engine is especially hard to handle under heavy acceleration. This is, of course, pointedly true for inexperienced (or under the influence) drivers, and that quickly became clear here.

As Officer Medina maintains a slow, steady pace, the Challenger’s engine suddenly roars. Depending on options, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat comes equipped with a 6.2L V8 producing upwards of 807 horsepower. The V8 also comes exclusively with RWD. So, while the car can quickly pick up speed, it didn’t take long before the driver lost control. A few times.

Officer Medina, still maintaining a safe distance, seemed to be watching, unsure of the driver’s intentions. After several wild spins, the driver appeared to make a last-ditch attempt to flee, accelerating into a final donut maneuver. But instead of pulling away, the Challenger ended up facing straight toward the officer’s patrol car. It rammed right into the cruiser with a loud crash, ending the slow-speed chase in an instant.

Officials assigned the suspect several serious charges, including aggravated assault on an officer. Under both state and federal law, such actions – fleeing from police and ramming a patrol vehicle – can carry severe legal repercussions, including lengthy prison sentences.

The footage also spotlights the dangers of high-performance vehicles. For example, the 2023 SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody and the Demon tout top speeds over 200 mph. As such, the Dodge Challenger – and the Charger – rank among the most dangerous vehicles on the road, according to the IIHS. The IIHS and the NHTSA both report that high-horsepower cars are often involved in single-vehicle crashes, especially when drivers lose control at high speeds.