WearTV.com - Monday, October 27th, 2025
GULF BREEZE, Fla. -- The Gulf Breeze Police Department made their third arrest under Florida's new "Super Speeder" law.
WEAR News obtained the body camera footage of two 19-year-old men, Hayden Wallace and Noah Young, who were racing last week on Highway 98.
Both drivers were caught on radar going 100 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone. Chief Rick Hawthorne says racing is not new to Gulf Breeze, but it typically happens on the bridge.
They were pulled over at the entrance to the Naval Live Oaks area. The two drivers were charged with racing and going more than 50 mph over the speed limit.
Before July 1, Young and Wallace would have been given a ticket and some sort of fine. Now, under Florida's new Super Speeder law, they are facing harsher penalties.
"The Super Speeder is a misdemeanor, so it's up to 30 days in jail, if the judge finds that necessary and a fine of not less than $500," Hawthorne said. "So they're looking at that, plus with the racing on the highway. If they're found guilty, they could lose their license for a year and then a fine anywhere between $500 and $1,000."
Wallace and Young were clocked going 100 miles per hour around 9 p.m. on a Tuesday. Both are facing the same charges.
This traffic stop would have also only cost them three points against their licenses. The new law doubles that.
"So typically, when you get just one speeding ticket, you know, there is a certain amount of points," said Mary Jordan with Gulf Coast Insurance. "It's usually like three points. And at that point, you're looking at probably on your next renewal another, I'd say, you know, 20% increase at your next renewal for just one speeding ticket."
"With that ticket, it's six points," she said. "And the increase on your insurance is possible up to 50% at that point."
If the two are convicted and pulled over again for the same charges, they will face a 1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail or both. Drivers who are caught twice in five years under the Super Speeder law can have their license suspended and risk losing insurance that's required to drive.
"We won't drop their coverage but if we, you know, we're probably gonna shy away from anybody that has a moving violation of that that caliber because you're gonna become an automatic risk," Jordan said. "And the policy itself will wind up getting canceled on its own because you're gonna cause more damage."
Florida passed the law to cut down on fatal crashes, a move Hawthorne says his department is glad to see.
"We're hoping that people will really take it seriously because it helps that person lose that driver's license quicker if they're going to drive like that," Hawthorne said. "Because if they're going to continue driving like that, they are eventually going to hurt or kill somebody."
Both Wallace and Young spent one night in the Santa Rosa County Jail before being released. Their court appearance has been set for November.