Traffic Foils Driver with ‘Wanted to Race’ Sticker in N.Y. Trooper Chase

A chase with New York State Police ended not with a crash, but a traffic jam, after a fleeing driver with a “Wanted to Race” sticker was boxed in by stopped cars.
Source Officer.com News
April 7, 2026

What to know

  • New York State Police troopers arrested a driver who fled a traffic stop in a Dodge Charger with no license plates during a speed enforcement initiative.
  • The driver attempted to flee at a high rate of speed but became stuck in traffic after exiting the highway.
  • A "SORRY OFFICER I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO RACE" sticker was pasted to the driver’s car.
New York State Police
Traffic jam stops driver fleeing New York troopers

A driver in a car without license plates and a "SORRY OFFICER I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO RACE" sticker was arrested by New York State Police on Saturday after a traffic jam stopped his flight from troopers.

A driver with no license plates and a "SORRY OFFICER I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO RACE" sticker couldn't outrun pursuing New York State Police troopers after he got stuck in traffic Saturday.

The incident happened shortly before 4:30 p.m. when troopers were working with Buffalo police as part of speed initiative, according to a state police news release. That's when troopers spotted a 2015 Dodger Charger without plates.

When troopers tried to pull over the vehicle, the driver, identified as Elias Cook, appeared to follow the advice of a "SORRY OFFICER I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO RACE" sticker on his car and fled at a high rate of speed. Troopers pursued the Charger, which became stuck in traffic after getting off at exit.

Troopers took Cook into custody, and he was arrested without incident. He faces multiple charges and was released with an appearance ticket for April 22.

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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