Dozens of drivers were caught going over 100 mph on Georgia interstate, police say

SYCAMORE, Ga. (WALB/Gray News) - If you’re traveling on I-75, law enforcement said to slow down or face a steep fine. In a 14-hour timeframe, 28 tickets were issued to drivers for driving over 100 mph.

According to Sycamore Police Chief William Ryder and Ashburn Police Chief Richard Purvis, so far this year, there has been a 60% increase in drivers with speeds of 100 mph and over and a 55% increase in drivers with speeds of 91 mph and higher.

Earlier this month, a 19-year-old traveling to Florida was clocked at 131 mph. He was later taken to jail for 45 days.

“On the interstate right now, it’s 70 miles per hour, and we rarely see anybody driving 70. The biggest excuse that we see is ‘We’re just trying to keep up with traffic.’ And it’s like, no, you’re leading traffic really and truly,” Purvis said.

During these “super speeder stops,” officers have also been cracking down on drug activity and other criminal items. They’ve confiscated a large number of stolen firearms, marijuana, meth, heroin and fentanyl.

“Once it’s seized and turned over, we used it for drug seized funds, we buy equipment trainings. I send a lot of my guys to classes with the money that we seize,” Ryder said.

Sycamore City Attorney Dustin Land said there are consequences for excessive speeding.

“Speeding is a general misdemeanor, and it carries up to one year in jail and, or $1,000 fine. The statistics, there’s just been a huge overwhelming increase in the number of speeds in the last couple of years. It’s very eye-opening,” Land said.

According to the National Highway and Safety Administration, every time you increase your speed over 10 mph over the posted limit, you double the chance of dying in a vehicular accident.

“We would much rather write you a citation than you wind up on the highway somewhere because of your speed,” Purvis said.

Officers told WALB the most recent speeds are concerning, and they just want the community to slow down because ultimately it could save a life.