BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A 21-year-old man was arrested Monday after authorities said he was clocked driving 132 mph with his 6-month-old son in the car.
According to his arrest report, Florida Highway Patrol troopers spotted Ashtan Michael Pierre’s gray Hyundai Accent speeding on Interstate 95 near Sample Road and weaving through lanes.
Troopers said Pierre, who is from Pompano Beach, was clocked traveling at 132 mph around 11 a.m. before cutting across four lanes and cutting off multiple vehicles to get off Sample Road.
Authorities said Pierre made an improper right turn from the center lane at a red light at Northeast Third Avenue and eventually pulled into the driveway of a home off Northeast Second Avenue.
According to his arrest report, Pierre got out of the car and began walking toward the home when he was taken to the ground at gunpoint and put in hand restraints.
Authorities said Pierre told the arresting trooper that his son was in the car and the trooper spotted the baby in a front-facing car seat.
According to his arrest report, Pierre told troopers that he “didn’t really have a reason” to be driving erratically and appeared to be concerned about losing his football scholarship.
Authorities said Pierre admitted to spotting troopers on the highway but said that he didn’t think they would pull him over because they were all stopped with other vehicles. He said he became scared when one of the troopers put their siren on, the arrest report stated.
According to the report, Pierre also told troopers that he believed he would have gotten away if he didn’t have his son with him.
The person who lives at the home where the incident ended told police he doesn’t know Pierre, but he came outside because he was concerned someone had crashed into his car and to see why troopers were outside his home.
Pierre was arrested on charges of reckless driving and child neglect without great bodily harm.
He appeared in court Tuesday and told the judge that it was impossible for him to be speeding at 132 mph, because his car can’t even go up to 120 mph.
The judge told Pierre to refrain from speaking about the case at this time.
Pierre's mother Gina and the mother of his child were present for his bond hearing.
Local 10's Roy Ramos spoke with them afterwards about why they believe he fled from law enforcement.
"I think that he was just fearful because of what is going on in the media because of black people getting killed an young black men getting harmed," said Gina Pierre.
She said Pierre is currently enrolled in the University of Kentucky, where he has hopes of playing football. She said he was only in town because of the pandemic and is a great father, despite troopers saying he was driving reckless with his six-month-old boy in the car.
“I wasn’t in the car, but as far as going 135, I don’t think he was going that fast,” she said.