WhistlinDiesel, the popular YouTube influencer known for his extravagant automotive antics, was arrested on Wednesday in Tennessee on two felony counts linked to alleged tax evasion. The individual behind the persona, 27-year-old Cody Detwiler, was released later that day from Williamson County Court on bond, according to reports from Us Weekly.
The charges against Detwiler are connected to sales tax related to a 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo, as indicated by an indictment acquired by TMZ. Following his arrest, Detwiler took to Instagram, defiantly stating, “Won so big they thought I was cheating. (100% real not AI).” Continuing to maintain his innocence, he remarked, “I didn’t do ANYTHING.”
This incident comes on the heels of a dramatic event documented in an August 2023 YouTube video where Detwiler’s Ferrari F8 caught fire while he was driving through a cornfield. A nearby van, also in the video, was engulfed in flames as well. In a seemingly nonchalant attitude towards the expensive loss, he remarked, “There goes half a million dollars. I guess don’t drive in cornfields.” He accepted the setback with humor, stating, “Hard loss, but I can’t say it wasn’t gonna happen anyways… We’ll recover from this someday.”
In his video description, Detwiler expressed his regret, noting that his $400,000 Ferrari and a rental minivan with only 5,000 miles had been reduced to ashes in what he called a complete accident. He reflected on the situation with a lighthearted spirit, emphasizing that it serves as a lesson to engage in even more daring activities before a vehicle meets an untimely end, adding “Tis But A Scratch! We will be back Ferrari …”
Detwiler’s unique brand of humor and his connection with his audience make him a notable figure in the realm of automotive content, highlighting the unpredictable nature of social media fame. Despite the legal challenges he faces, fans may find solace in his resilience and commitment to return to spectacle.