Crime & Safety
Bellevue Teen Caught Driving Over 120 MPH on Mercer Island
A 17-year-old girl said she was "punching it" on Interstate 90 because she was tired of arguing with her boyfriend and wanted to get home.
A 17-year-old Bellevue girl was issued a criminal citation for driving over 120 mph through Mercer Island on eastbound Interstate 90 early Monday morning, Mercer Island Police said.
Police say the burgundy Lexus ES300 she was driving at 1:41 a.m. on July 8 was paced by a patrol car at speeds over 110 on the freeway, and at times exceeded 120 mph. The vehicle was first spotted driving eastbound on the 8300 block of Interstate 90, near Exit 7B.
After the car was pulled over for reckless driving, the teenage girl admitted under questioning that she was "punching it" because she was arguing with her boyfriend and just "wanted to get home".
Reckless driving is a gross misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to 364 days and by a fine of not more than $5,000. In addition to reckless driving, the teenager was also cited for violating the terms of her intermediate driving license.
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