Seattle Slaps Loud Charger Hellcat Driver With $83,000 in Fines

Several weeks ago, a Dodge Charger Hellcat driver named Miles Hudson was banned by the city of Seattle from driving his car after a surge in public complaints about his loud aftermarket exhaust and his unfortunate habit of revving the engine late at night in the city's Belltown neighborhood. Since then, the story has gone national with a big New York Times exposé as Hudson continues to defy the police, city officials, and even his own mother by leaning into his outlaw status on Instagram and refusing to stop.

Now, Seattle appears to have had enough. In a court order filed on Friday and spotlighted by KOMO News, the city attorney is attempting to fine Hudson over $83,000 in assorted penalties to put an end to his shenanigans. A hearing is set for June 18 in which the city will ask for a default judgment.

"Mr. Hudson has cultivated online infamy by flagrantly breaking Seattle's laws and waking his neighbors with excessive noise. It’s time for him to face the consequences of his actions. That’s why I have requested that the court find Mr. Hudson in default and award the City all applicable penalties,” City Attorney Ann Davison said in a statement.

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Driving a wrapped, de-catted Charger Hellcat Widebody with a backfire tune, Hudson has uploaded numerous videos of himself breaking traffic laws and noise ordinances around Seattle on his Instagram srt.miles this year, including racing on city streets at speeds over 100 mph. As resident complaints poured into Seattle Police and local forums like r/Seattle on Reddit over his viciously loud exhaust, with some claiming they were forced to move to escape it, he and his car started being known as the "Belltown Hellcat," named after the neighborhood where he popped up the most (and presumably lives).

In mid-April, the city responded by forbidding Hudson from driving his Hellcat until he reverted the exhaust modifications. Hudson however has apparently ignored the court order, and continued to drive his car disruptively for social media clout. Yes—he's doing it all for the 'gram, as he told a cop directly during a recent traffic stop recorded on the officer's body cam.

https://youtu.be/0Fy0jyxNFr4?si=Gb8r_vzCaazpx4fS\u0026t=4

"I ended up having a prolonged conversation with him that I captured on my body-worn video," a Seattle police officer wrote, as reported in KOMO News. "I asked Hudson why he didn't just go to a racetrack to utilize his vehicle there. He stated that he had 'almost 700,000 followers' on his social media, and that the amount of money he makes on filming his videos of him in his vehicle on the street has paid for the car."

Hilariously, Hudson's mother got involved at one point, writing to city officials two weeks ago that her son no longer had access to the vehicle and he'd no longer be terrorizing the streets, according to the New York Times. So much for that.

Hudson faces a fine that increases by $1,300 daily for not complying, with the running total reportedly adding up to $83,200. He's pled not guilty to two other charges of reckless driving, for which he'll also be in court on June 12.

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