Olympic gold medalist Sha’Carri Richardson arrested in Orange County for excessive speeding

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Olympic sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson was arrested in Orange County, Thursday, after police say she was driving over 100 mph.

What we know:

Sha'Carri Richardson, 25, was arrested in Orange County on Jan. 29 for dangerous excessive speeding. 

Richardson was reportedly traveling at 104 miles per hour on S.R. 429 near Stoneybrook Parkway in Winter Garden. She was dangerously tailgating and traveling across lanes of travel to pass other motorists, deputies said. 

The posted speed limit was 65 miles per hour, deputies said. When a deputy pulled Richardson over, she claimed the reason for her speed was that she had an underinflated back tire, the arrest report said. When a deputy said she was driving with defective equipment, she said she didn't mean to be traveling the speed she was going. 

A man who identified himself as Richardson's boyfriend pulled over and tried to reason with the deputy to keep her from going to jail, the deputy said. After, another woman pulled up and ran toward the man. 

Due to their interjections with the investigation, the deputy requested backup. 

The woman complied with the deputy, but the man asked for a supervisor and kept asking what happened, the report said. He refused to identify himself and was placed under arrest for resisting. The woman was issued a citation for stopping on a limited access roadway. 

She was booked into the Orange County Jail on a $500 bond and released on Jan. 29.  

TOKYO, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 21: Sha'Carri Richardson of the United States celebrates at the finish line winning the gold medal during the 4x100 Metres Relay Women Final at day nine of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 at National Stadium on S

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Who is Sha'Carri Richardson? 

Sha'Carri Richardson – known for her quick speed and distinctive fashion – rose to prominence after she was discovered at Carter High School in Dallas, her biography said. 

Since then, Richardson has competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics – winning gold for the U.S. – where she ran the women's 4x100m relay in 41.78 seconds. This is her first and currently only Olympic gold metal, which she won during her Olympic debut. 

Richardson has also secured brand deals with Nike. 

What is "Super Speeding?" 

Florida’s Super Speeder Law went into effect to target excessive speeding. 

Excessive speeding is defined as driving over 100 miles per hour. 

Drivers who exceed the posted speed limit by more than 50 mph or who travel faster than 100 mph now face harsher penalties, Orange County government said.