Street Racing News...
Turning Up Heat On
Illegal Street Races
Race illegally on
the streets of Suffolk County and your prize will include arrest and seizure of
your automobile.
That was the message sent Friday by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard
Dormer, County Executive Steve Levy and Legis. Jon Cooper, with the announcement
of a countywide crackdown on illegal street racing - fittingly, at a news
conference on Route 231, Deer Park Avenue in Dix Hills, a notorious venue for
illegal racers.
"The message has to be sent," Levy said. "This isn't a 'boys will be boys' rite
of passage ... This is playing with fire with lives on the line."
With three fatal street-racing accidents on Long Island already this year,
Dormer said something needed to be done.
Previously, unless there was an accident-related injury or death, police usually
issued summonses to drivers engaged in an "unauthorized speed contest," a
misdemeanor under the law. But, Dormer said the law allows police to arrest
offenders under statutes covering reckless endangerment and reckless operation
of a motor vehicle. So, he said, offenders will be arrested - and their vehicles
confiscated.
If legislation proposed by Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor) is passed by the county
legislature next month, Levy and Dormer said those seized vehicles will be
auctioned off. Suffolk police issued 103 summonses to illegal racers in 2002,
Dormer said, as well as 93 in 2003, ' in 2004 and 110 so far this year.
"Now, those will be mandatory arrests," Dormer said. "We plan to maximize the
charges."
Each Suffolk precinct will establish an illegal racing task force, Dormer said.
Units will target racing hot spots - and monitor the street-racing community.
Meanwhile, Levy and Cooper also vowed to find a site where racers can race
legally.
Illegal racing, Dormer said, "Is akin to someone standing out on the highway and
shooting off a rifle ... Our roadways are dangerous enough without someone
engaging in an illegal speed contest, a drag race."
- John Valenti,
Newsday, Saturday, October 29, 2005
This page was last updated on
10/30/05
.
