X Factor Hopeful Arrested After Stealing Car, High Speed Police Chase

Orrion Wilson gets his 15 minutes of fame—and the cuffs put on him—after swiping a car to make it to a tryout

By Josh Grossberg Apr 17, 2013 6:23 PMTags
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We guess this guy really wanted to meet Simon Cowell.

An aspiring singer who hoped to attend a second audition of The X Factor has been arrested for stealing a car in Slidell, La., and leading cops on a high speed chase.

Detective Daniel Seuzeneau of the Slidell Police Department tells E! News that the theft occurred around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday night when 20-year-old Orrion Wilson jumped into a Pontiac Grand Prix left running by a man who went into a gas station.

Wilson then fled in the vehicle, but cops quickly gave chase after the victim called 911, at which point the Florida native rammed a police cruiser as he hit speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour along the Interstate before eventually stopping and making a run for it.

He was subsequently apprehended and later told police that he was anxious to get home because he performed well at The X Factor auditions in New Orleans and was asked to return next week in New York.

Wilson was booked into jail on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, theft of a motor vehicle, theft of over $500, criminal damage, resisting an officer and aggravated flight from an officer.

A rep for Fox was unavailable for comment.

—Reporting by Ruth O'Neill