Background: A California Highway Patrol officer arrests a driver for allegedly speeding on the highway (CHP Modesto). Inset: Mario Kart World (YouTube/Nintendo of America).
A California driver was busted after allegedly taking a video game-style joyride down a crowded highway.
The driver, who police nicknamed “Mario” — ostensibly after the iconic video game character of the same name — was spotted Sunday.
“Male arrested for Mario Kart style driving swerving in & out of traffic,” a statement from the Modesto outpost of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said. The driver, who was not publicly identified, was arrested for reckless driving.
“Earlier today, the CHP – Modesto arrested ‘Mario’ for reckless driving,” the statement said. “He was observed by our Specially Marked Patrol Vehicle (SMPV) unit traveling at speeds over 90 MPH while making several unsafe lane changes and tailgating other motorists.”
The covert nature of the officers’ operation was by design, the CHP said.
“The SMPV is to blend in with traffic and catch dangerous motorists like this in the act,” the Facebook post said.
“Game Over,” the CHP added.
Under Golden State law, a person “who drives a vehicle upon a highway in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving.”
Reckless driving is a misdemeanor punishable by five to 90 days in jail and a fine ranging from $145 to $1,000.
According to the CHP, the agency launched its SMPV program — featuring a line of 2024 Dodge SUVs — in May, with the goal of nabbing “aggressive drivers endangering the lives of others.” The program specifically targets “aggressive lane weaving, triple-digit speeds and road rage” that law enforcement says are the trademarks of “video game-styled driving” on the highways.
As many as 100 such vehicles are expected to be deployed throughout the state in May.
“Blending in with the public allows us to catch them in the act,” the CHP noted, adding that the program notched its first catch within one mile from the agency’s Modesto office.
California sees nearly 400,000 car crashes annually, and nearly 1,000 daily reports of reckless driving. In 2024, the agency issued almost 18,000 citations to drivers going more than 100 miles per hour.
