Road rage is one thing that vehicle occupants must be wary of. Cases of ordinary people turning violent in seconds on the interstate are not uncommon to hear about. In Florida, a specific case of road rage ended with a police car severely injuring a motorcyclist.
YouTuber “Hyped Life” posted the startling video on May 20, 2022, where he crashed into an unmarked Florida Highway Patrol car. The channel has 11,000 subscribers and consists of motorcycle videos for enthusiasts. In the full 13 minute video, he raised concern that the Dodge Charger belonged to a cop.
The state trooper named John Vincent Greisheimer attempted to lightly brake check the YouTuber before continuing to speed up. “Brake checking” is a term used when a driver purposefully slams their brakes harder than needed. It certainly caught the YouTuber off guard, but he did not expect what happened next on Interstate 595. The Dodge Charger flashed his lights and put full force on the brake, causing the 2020 Yamaha R3, an entry-level sports bike, to rear-end the car.
Greisheimer accused the motorcyclist of tailgating him and driving recklessly. The YouTuber was angrily handcuffed in the middle of the highway, but later released with no charges or tickets. Greisheimer apologized and defended his actions by saying he attempted to slow the cyclist down, not injure him purposefully. The cyclist was allegedly speeding at 80MPH.
“It was just traumatizing. I just feel uncomfortable around police now.”
Hyped Life in his YouTube video
The motorcyclist, who did not want to be named, endured lower back pain, but says he is extremely lucky that he did not break any bones. Sleeping and working hasn’t been the same for him, he explained in the video. The encounter caused strain on his psychological health.
The viral YouTube video sparked debates online on whether Greisheimer or the motorcyclist were at fault. Some believed that multiple parts of the story were missing and both parties were to blame. Others completely put the highway patrol officer at fault.
A lawsuit has since been filed against Greisheimer. The motorcyclist and his attorney believes that Greisheimer brake checked him with the intentions of causing life-threatening injuries. The YouTuber posted an update in October 2023 stating that he is still recovering and investigations are still ongoing.
