32 Arrested, 72 Vehicles Seized in Street Racing Sweep

In yet another crackdown on illicit street racing in the San Fernando Valley, authorities arrested 32 people, mostly juveniles, and impounded 72 vehicles during a sweep in the Sylmar-Sun Valley area over the weekend.

During the Illegal Street Racing Task Force, authorities also issued 86 citations, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

One person was arrested on suspicion of illegal possession of a weapon. Six people were arrested on suspicion of illegal street racing and 25 on suspicion of curfew violation.

Illegal street racing has been a dangerous problem in the East Valley for many years, said Lt. Tony Zamora of LAPD’s Foothill Division, which conducted the task force, along with the California Highway Patrol and investigators from the state Bureau of Automotive Repair.

The crackdown lasted from 10 p.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday.

For years, a subculture of mostly teenage and young adult racing enthusiasts has been gathering in remote areas, setting up roadblocks and drag racing in front of impromptu crowds, authorities say.

In the LAPD Foothill area, the illegal races typically take place on San Fernando Road in northern Sylmar or on Glenoaks Boulevard in Sun Valley, said Senior Police Service Representative Spence Leafdale.

Street racing is extremely dangerous, police say. In 1999, at least eight young people died in accidents involving illegal racing or speeding in the San Fernando and Antelope valleys.

A few months ago, a 17-year-old boy drove his car off a road and “wrapped himself around a big eucalyptus tree,” said Sgt. Steven Dell of the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division. Police believe the boy, who died from his injuries, had been illegally racing.

Elsewhere in the country, illegal street racers have been known to run off roads into crowds of spectators. “I can’t say enough how dangerous it is,” Dell said.

The crackdown came on the heels of a similar effort in the Van Nuys-North Hollywood area, where nearly 100 citations were issued, including some to spectators.

“Anyone who was present got a ticket that night,” Dell said.

During the latest crackdown, members of a task force for regional auto theft prevention also sought to identify stolen cars and parts.