80 arrested in street racing bust that left dozens of cars impounded, Georgia cops say
More than 80 people were arrested in a Georgia street racing bust as police warn of the risks of the fast-paced trend.
Forty-five cars were impounded in the operation, which involved several state and local law enforcement agencies, according to officials. The South Fulton Police Department said marijuana and guns were also confiscated.
“Illegal street racing is dangerous, both for drivers and spectators,” the department wrote Sunday in a Facebook post. “We will continue to monitor street racing activity aggressively and deploy resources to arrest or cite those responsible for this hazardous and unlawful criminal activity.”
It’s not the first time Atlanta-area police have denounced street racing.
Those who have cautioned against the practice include Ken DeSimone, police chief in the suburb of Sandy Springs, which passed an ordinance to try halting street racing.
“Whenever you mix high speed and driver antics, it is a recipe with a high potential to injure people and even kill someone,” he told WXIA in February.
Statewide, Georgia lawmakers have also introduced a measure aimed at cracking down on the practice. House Bill 534, which calls for new penalties for people accused of street racing, was sent to Gov. Brian Kemp this month.
Complaints about street racing have spiked in the Atlanta area as the COVID-19 pandemic limits social activities, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other news outlets reported.
Roughly 20 miles from South Fulton, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office said it made dozens of arrests last month after officials trapped street racers in a Sam’s Club parking lot. And recently, Atlanta police have used helicopters to help nab street-racing suspects, according to WAGA.
