Crackdown on street racing

With the recent death of an 11-year-old girl putting street racing in the spotlight, local authorities said they are focused on curbing the dangerous activity.

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez held a press conference last week, noting that his agency has been asked what it planned to do about the street racing.

He stressed that the Sheriff ’s Office aggressive driving unit and other motor units have been going after the speeding motorcycles and vehicles. Since taking office in January, Lopez said the Sheriff ’s Office has issues about 700 tickets.

“We are going to continue to do the aggressive driving-type operations, we are going to continue working with surrounding agencies and we are not going to stop,” Lopez said. “Be prepared to see us more aggressive, more active out there.”

The 11-year-old girl was killed in the three-car Osceola County crash after witnesses said two of the vehicles were racing.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, a 2013 Dodge Charger, a 2018 Toyota Rav 4 and a 2015 Kia Optima were all traveling westbound on U.S Highway 192 at about 11 p.m.

The Charger, driven by a 19-year-old male from Davenport, was behind the Toyota, which was being driven by a 35-year-old woman from Leesburg. The Kia, being driven by a 17-year-old male from Loughman, was in the center lane.

The report stated that the driver of the Charger failed to slow down behind the Toyota and hit the back of it, sending the Rav 4 into the median and into a median warning sign. The 11-year-old girl, who was sitting in the back seat was pronounced dead at the scene. A second passenger, a 23 year-old woman, was listed in critical condition. The Toyota driver was listed in serious condition.

Witnesses said the Charger and the Optima were street racing when the crash occurred. The driver of the Charger suffered minor injuries, while the Kia driver suffered none.

Charges are pending against the teens.

“From my understanding the two (teen drivers) that were involved in this fatality walked away like nothing or were more concerned about their cars,” Lopez said.

Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Victor Rivera works in the DUI unit and began to see the racing problem increase more than a year ago.

“We’re giving the racing issue a little more attention,” Rivera said. “It’s (racing) every day, every night. You can go anywhere in Orange and Osceola County. We’ve actually chased these guys to Seminole County.”

And the speeds get downright dangerous. Rivera said he chased one vehicle on State Road 528 where the driver was going 152 mph.

“I topped out my Charger (patrol car) and he was still pulling away from me,” he said.

They usually tend to run when law enforcement is trying to pull them over, weaving through traffic, driving on the shoulder of the road, even entering opposite lanes. They see it as an “open challenge,” Rivera said.

“It’s like they are living in the video game “Need for Speed,’” he added.

It the last year, the trooper said he arrested between 10 and 15 people.

“If we chase them and we catch them, they are going to jail and we are going to seize their vehicles,” Rivera added.

Anybody seeing street racing are encouraged to call FHP on their cell phone by dialing *347. Try to keep an eye on them and providing a witness statement will help the prosecution by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office, Rivera said.

Lopez said it’s just not about enforcement, but also about education, as parents need to talk to their children.

“This tragic traffic accident that just occurred is something that should hit home especially if you have children,” Lopez said. “Educate your kids, this is not the fast and the furious. This is the real world. There are consequences.”

Moreover, residents need to be the eyes for the Sheriff ’s Office. Lopez said the Sheriff ’s Office is understaffed and would need 30 to 40 more law enforcement officers to curb the street racing problem.

“If you see racing call us,” Lopez said. “The more you call, the more the county commissioners are going to see we have an issue and maybe they will start giving us a little more money so we can add more units to address these racers.”