Sha’Carri Richardson is known for her world-class speed on the track, but her latest sprint happened behind the wheel, and it landed her in handcuffs. The Olympic gold medalist was arrested Thursday in Central Florida after authorities clocked her traveling well over the triple-digit mark on a local highway.
Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office pulled over Richardson on State Road 429 near Stoneybrook Parkway, just outside of Orlando. According to law enforcement, the 25-year-old sprinter was allegedly driving 104 mph. To make matters worse, officials claimed Sha'Carri Richardson was “dangerously tailgating” and weaving across lanes to pass other motorists before they initiated the stop.
The Dallas native was booked into the Orange County jail on a charge of dangerous, excessive speeding. Under Florida’s relatively new “super speeder” laws, designed to curb a spike in traffic fatalities, driving over 100 mph is a criminal offense that can carry up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for first-time offenders. Jail records indicate she was held on a $500 bond.
This legal hurdle comes during a period of professional triumph but personal turbulence for Richardson. She is coming off a massive summer where she secured a silver medal in the 100-meter dash and a gold medal in the 4×100-meter relay for Team United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, this is her second arrest in less than a year; she was previously detained in July 2025 following a domestic incident at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport involving fellow sprinter Christian Coleman, for which she later issued a public apology.
The track star has yet to release an official statement regarding the Florida incident. Richardson has spent her career proving she can outrun almost anyone in the world. But as she navigates this latest off-track distraction, it’s clear that 104 mph is one speed she can't just sprint away from.
