Highway Drama Turns Out to Be a Hoax
On March 6, 2024, an unusual vehicle out-of-control incident occurred in Merseyside, UK. Nathan Owen, 33, called police to report that his Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicle had suddenly accelerated uncontrollably on a motorway, with its brakes completely failing. Police responded by initiating a large-scale emergency operation, closing the M58, M57, and M62 motorways and deploying multiple patrol cars to intercept the vehicle. The incident lasted 35 minutes, with Owen’s car reaching speeds of up to 86 mph (approximately 138 km/h) and colliding with police vehicles 33 times before coming to a stop due to a depleted battery.
Merseyside Police treated the call as a major traffic emergency. Officers on the scene deployed significant resources, attempting to force the out-of-control vehicle to stop by surrounding it with patrol cars. However, subsequent investigations revealed that Owen’s claims were entirely false. Vehicle diagnostic data showed that the braking system was never engaged during the incident, and the car was stationary when Owen made the emergency call.
Digital Evidence Exposes the Deception
Jaguar conducted a comprehensive inspection of the vehicle after the incident and confirmed that the I-Pace was functioning normally, requiring only a recharge to resume operation. Digital timestamps and police communication records demonstrated that the vehicle had not moved when Owen reported the emergency, and the brake pedal had never been depressed. During the call, Owen told police, "My car won’t stop; it’s stuck at 78 mph (approximately 125 km/h), and I’m speeding on the motorway." He also claimed that the vehicle had previously accelerated uncontrollably to over 100 mph (approximately 160 km/h), but no evidence supported these assertions.
Further investigation revealed that Owen had applied for a loan five minutes before calling the police, but his request was denied. Records showed that Owen owed approximately £5,000 in car loan payments and had missed multiple payments. Text messages retrieved from his phone indicated that Owen had discussed disposing of the Jaguar I-Pace in the months leading up to the incident, suggesting he may have intended to have the vehicle written off. Defense barrister Daniel Travers told the court that Owen’s plan was "frighteningly stupid for someone reasonably well-educated and intelligent" and quoted Owen’s father, who described him as a "Walter Mitty character living in a fantasy world."
Media Exploitation and Legal Consequences
After the incident, Owen sold his fabricated "thrilling experience" to several UK media outlets, including The Sun and the Daily Mail. In interviews, he described the event as "35 minutes in hell" and a "terror ride," comparing it to a police chase scene from the video game Grand Theft Auto. Owen profited by approximately £800 from these stories, which were later proven to be entirely fictional.
Jaguar spent up to £50 million on crisis public relations and brand image recovery efforts to mitigate the negative impact of the incident. The company stated that Owen’s false report generated 180 pieces of adverse media coverage, significantly damaging the market reputation of the Jaguar I-Pace. Merseyside Police noted that the incident wasted substantial police resources and caused severe disruption to other road users.
A UK court ultimately convicted Owen of fraud. The presiding judge stated during sentencing that Owen’s actions "led to a large-scale police traffic operation, caused unnecessary public alarm, and resulted in significant waste of societal resources." The judge emphasized that officers responding to the incident believed they were dealing with a genuine emergency, risking their lives to execute the interception, while Owen attempted to profit from his deception. Owen was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison, banned from driving for 5 years after his release, and required to pass an advanced driving test before regaining his license.
