Police: Man arrested after driving 110+ mph, cites ‘needing to use the bathroom’

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT/Gray News) - A 24-year-old man was arrested and facing several charges after police said he was driving over 110 mph on a highway in Tennessee on Monday.

The Knoxville Police Department reports Mario Diaz, 24, was operating a Nissan Sentra at a high rate of speed on Interstate 40. Diaz’s vehicle was clocked as traveling 111 mph.

WVLT reports during the traffic stop, officers said they contacted Diaz, but he did not have proof of a driver’s license or insurance.

When it comes to why he was speeding, the police department said Diaz told officers he was trying to hurry back to his hotel because he needed to use the bathroom.

Diaz’s girlfriend was also in the vehicle’s passenger seat, holding her 1-year-old daughter unrestrained on her lap, according to police. She reportedly told them she was breastfeeding.

Knoxville police said the 24-year-old was taken into custody and charged with reckless endangerment, driving without a license and financial responsibility. Diaz was also being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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