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Man arrested after high-speed chase claimed he was teaching dog to drive

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Man’s best friend really shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car.

Washington State Patrol said a man refused to stop twice, then hit two cars before leading them on a high-speed chase, with speeds up to 109 mph.

The driver also took the car on Centennial Trail, which is for pedestrians and bicyclists. Normally it is filled with people using the trail, but there wasn’t anyone on it at the time, CNN reported.

No one was hurt.

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But when police caught up to the car, they found a pit bull in the driver’s seat while the man steered the car.

The man said he was trying to teach his dog how to drive.

“I wish I could make this up,” trooper Heather Axtman told CNN. “I’ve been a trooper for almost 12 years and wow, I’ve never heard this excuse. I’ve been in a lot of high-speed chases. I’ve stopped a lot of cars, and never have I gotten an excuse that they were teaching their dog how to drive.”

The man was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, hit and run, driving under the influence, and felony eluding.

The dog was taken to an animal shelter, CNN reported.