Auctioneer Finds Unexpected Cargo In Challenger Hellcat

Jun. 02, 2019 8:40 AM ET by Gabe Beita Kiser / 8 Comments

How did this happen in the first place?

Even before the days of the Hellcat, it was obvious that the Dodge Challenger was a car for those with an outlaw mentality. But the problem with criminals is that many times, they get caught. If you're apprehended by police while in a Challenger Hellcat, it usually means you've gotten into a crash because you can't handle the power, because the car has run out of gas during a police chase, or, in this strange case, because you're a fugitive who's been caught in the trunk of a Hellcat that was going to auction.

As LNP tells it, that's the story of Leon Parks, a 25-year-old man from Bronx, New York, who was recently apprehended after being found in the trunk of a Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

Dodge

It's not clear why he was in the car's trunk, but what we do know is that the 2016 Challenger Hellcat was loaded onto a transporter truck that was bringing vehicles from New York to the Manheim Auto Auction in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Once it arrived, an employee of Manheim, Darren Leeds, was tasked with inspecting the Challenger to assess its condition before it was sent off to storage. When he opened the trunk, he found Parks lying there and barely moving.

"I opened the trunk to take a trunk picture and there was a guy in there," said Leeds. He called the police and then got Parks some water. It was lucky Leeds found Parks since he would have likely died if left in the trunk, as the car was slated to be put into long-term storage after the assessment.

Dodge

So why was Parks later apprehended? Well, it certainly wasn't for trespassing. According to Fox, Parks had outstanding warrants for parole violations and weapons charges. Whether he snuck into the Hellcat's trunk to escape New York state or was put there following a scuffle, we'll only find out when the police investigation concludes.