2 GM engineers arrested after 100-mph Kentucky joyride in new Corvettes

Miriam Marini | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Two General Motors engineers arrested for street racing in Corvettes Two General Motors engineers were arrested for driving 100 mph and over in new Corvettes.

Temptation is sometimes too hard to resist.

The two General Motors engineers who were arrested after allegedly street racing two 2020 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Stingrays in Bowling Green, Kentucky, will surely tell you the same.

Alexander Thim, 27, of West Bloomfield, and Mark Derkatz, 30, of Windsor, Ontario, were clocked by Kentucky state troopers Wednesday night going 120 mph and 100 mph, respectively, in a 45-mph zone, according to Automobile Magazine.

Bowling Green Assembly is the sole location that builds Corvettes, the same model the employees took for joyrides while visiting the plant, according to General Motors. The sticker price on the sports cars starts at $60,000.

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Kentucky State Troopers detected the scent of alcohol on both joyriders, according to the arrest citation from WBKO-TV 13.

In a statement to Automobile Magazine, GM said the company is aware of the incident and is investigating.

“Safety remains our overriding priority at General Motors,” the statement said.

A Chevrolet representative reached by the Free Press on Sunday night said the company had nothing to add.

The pair had just left Cue Time Cocktails and Billiards, a billiards and pool hall, before being stopped at Lovers Lane and Olde Towne Boulevard at 11:20 p.m., according to WBKO-TV 13. A third Corvette driver was also involved but did not exceed the speed limit and was not arrested.

Thim, who was driving a red Corvette, is a design engineer working on induction and exhaust systems. Derkatz, who opted for a white Stingray, is co-chair of an electrical issue resolution team, according to Deadline Detroit.

The Corvettes were removed from the scene of the incident and taken to a tow lot, where they were collected by “the owner” the next day, according to Automobile Magazine.

Both drivers were arraigned Thursday on charges of racing a motor vehicle on a public highway, reckless driving and speeding 26 mph over the speed limit or greater, according to WBKO-TV 13. They have been released from Warren County Regional Jail on a $1,000 bond each.

Thim and Derkatz are scheduled for a pretrial conference Feb. 18 in Warren (Kentucky) District Court.