Updated to clarify arrest and citation numbers.
A multi-agency crackdown on illegal street racing “sideshows” in Los Angeles County including the Santa Clarita Valley resulted in seven arrests and 102 citations during a raid in Castaic Thursday night, according to a news release from the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
The Sheriff’s Department and the SCV Sheriff’s Station’s Summer Enforcement Team (provided by the Fifth District Supervisor Katherine Barger for additional public safety patrols during the summer months) joined forces with the California Highway Patrol, Newhall Area and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in the joint operation.
Led by Captain Edward Krusey of the CHP’s Newhall office, raid targeted illegal street racers and reckless drivers who were participating in what has become commonly known as a “sideshow.”
The operation was conducted in an industrial park in Castaic, which is heavily occupied by thousands of workers during the workday, but after business hours becomes a ghost town.
The long, wide asphalt streets attract street racers to perform “burnouts,” “donuts” and “drifting,” all of which are illegal and highly dangerous to the spectators who show up to watch.
A total of 109 arrests were made for participating or spectating at an illegal speed event, which is a misdemeanor.
Seven of those people were physically booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and their vehicles were towed as a result of the operation’s efforts.
In addition to the arrests of the drivers, 102 spectators were cited for spectating at an illegal speed event and released at the scene.
It isn’t just the reckless driving or racing that is illegal, as the onlookers discovered. A momentary loss of control, which can happen all too easily, can have devastating consequences for both the drivers and spectators.
Of those 102 spectators who were cited and released, 17 of them were minors.
Because street racing tends to be an activity of teens and young adults, parents can assist in making sure their children have no involvement with street racing as well as making certain they adhere to local curfew laws. One of the most common danger signs that their child is becoming involved may include having an illegally modified vehicle.
Street racing is extremely dangerous, both to participants and onlookers, with death or serious injury a frequent and unfortunate consequence. There are numerous locations and facilities where this hobby can be legally pursued and not place bystanders in peril.
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34 Comments
Jessenia Ramirez
They better have not crashed into Gemdo smh ?
That was Thursday the building still looked intact Friday but I bet you I know who snitched they have have perfect view
??????
Cool, now the ones of us who are actually into cars for the passion and take our racing to the track where it belongs get profiled as “street racers” because of these idiots.
Wow there not idiots fist of all and calling them names ur so cool grow up. There no where these kids can do this thats close to scv and there nothing for these kids to do in scv so it shouldn’t surprise u. Scv is a stuck up town that wants to family oriented well guess what being family oriented and have nothing for these kids to do is gonna lead to this. The cops and city should get together and plan a day where they can and have it is controlled ans monitored maybe if they did that these kids wouldn’t be out there doing it illegally.
They own cars! Drive to the track!
You’re telling me to grow up and you can’t even articulate a proper sentence Courtney. There are 3 race tracks within an hour and a half of here – Willow springs, Fontana and Irwindale, all of which have drag strips and road courses. You have to be pretty dim to say there’s “nothing to do in SCV” when the roller coaster capital of the world is in the city, not to mention movie theaters, mountasia, bowling alleys, laser tag, go carts, ice rinks, I can go on all day. As I said earlier, I am one of the ones who actually goes to the tracks, and I don’t get bored enough to street race, so all your “logic” is wrong. If you race on a public street, you are an idiot. End of story.
Anyone defending these “kids” and basically saying it’s ok to race on city and residential streets NOT designed for racing is very questionable indeed. No excuses.
The city taking advantage of bystanders to extort revenue
Sadly the amount the city extorts from the bystanders won’t even cover a small percentage of the costs that occurs when a family sues the city when one of these bystanders gets maimed or killed when one of the drivers who really doesn’t know what he/she is doing looses control and slams into one these bystanders and the city is blamed by the family for not protecting their innocent child/adult.
What does extorting money from bystanders have to do with shutting down the street race?
It’s illegal to “aid and abet” a street race or exhibition of speed.
good
Here ya go- safe legal drag racing.
https://www.facebook.com/events/111102849521055/permalink/111102856187721/
I have read this story from the first post, now to this “update”, this is one of the worst written articles I’ve seen on this page. So in case I don’t know how to read or know anything about the justice system, “Castaic Street Racing ‘Sideshow’ Raid Nets 109 Arrests, 102 Tickets”, if you read the article, you see 7 were arrested and 102 tickets were given…. hmmm math what a cool thing. Do the math and wake up, yes dangerous, glad it didn’t take any lives as it easily can street racing, but really, don’t try and sensationalize something to get a reaction when you don’t have all the facts! And tell me where these numerous places that kids in this valley can go and do this legally that isn’t 2 hours away. Why won’t this valley let a “legal” dragstip be built here? We can build condos and homes in areas that are clearly a riverbed, example, apartments next to Santa Clarita lanes, but oh no don’t give a bunch of car lovers a safe place to do what they love, must be too much for this uptight city….
Is that true, the city won’t let a legal drag strip open? Has anybody tried? Maybe it’s just not profitable enough for such a business to survive within the city. Land ain’t cheap.
Kevin Rieke Jr. , yes it has been tried. So basically what you are saying is profit above human life? Did I get you comment correctly?
It’s not over human life. But if something isn’t profitable it doesn’t tend to last that’s just facts. We have to go far out of town for many things, this is one of those things.
Haleigh Ashmore , I understand this fact. What else causes tragedies like these accidents that you have to go far out of town for? I get it but if everyone was so concerned, why wouldn’t something be done to facilitate a safe place in this valley to do what is going to happen and have this outcome? Perfect example, this valley hated kids skateboarding and there are several skate parks now. I have lived here for 36 years and have seen my share of tragedies, including some involving friends….
Bunch of idiots..
Wow there not idiots fist of all and calling them names ur so cool grow up. There no where these kids can do this thats close to scv and there nothing for these kids to do in scv so it shouldn’t surprise u. Scv is a stuck up town that wants to family oriented well guess what being family oriented and have nothing for these kids to do is gonna lead to this. The cops and city should get together and plan a day where they can and have it is controlled ans monitored maybe if they did that these kids wouldn’t be out there doing it illegally.
They ARE idiots. Courtney, just stop. So if they kill people, it’s ok because they’re just bored kids, huh? Gimme a break.
Joser Romo
Thats crazy!
Joser Romo they must be slow cause they all got caught. jkjk.
Hahaha is that by newhall ranch rd? CHP is like right next too it
Joser Romo not sure all the buildings look similar but yah CHP is right there lmao
Lol smh
Street Racing Kills and Killed SCV Locals including Paul Walker, Richard Rodas, Brian Lewandowski, and Michelle Littlefield – http://commercecrash2-27-2016.blogspot.com/2016/10/street-racing.html
Street Racing Kills http://streetracingkills.org/
https://www.facebook.com/Streetracingkills/
A racer just killed someone on Decoro and Mc Bean last night… dont do this stupid crap
Location was Avenue Penn and Witherspoon in the industrial Center off of Commerce Center Drive. I’m guessing the “group” bounces around town to various locations because they know its illegal. This particular location was County. AS previous post said, there are places to go “legally” to do this type of stuff. There are also plenty of drifting organizations that travel and do this legally. When you do it illegally or support it by being there to encourage the drivers, this is what happens.