Street Racing Raid Results in 69 Arrests, Including Juveniles, in Florida

An operation to raid street racing activities was conducted in St. Petersburg, Florida. Reports say 69 individuals have been arrested, including some underaged juveniles.

Illegal Street Racing in Florida [Photo: The Sacramento Bee]

According to Wehner, at around 10:45 p.m., the St. Petersburg Police Department arrived at the event and surrounded the location with more than 50 patrol cruisers. From there, 69 individuals were arrested including underaged juveniles and a couple who were with their 3-year-old and 1-year-old children. In addition, 23 vehicles were also impounded. The St. Petersburg Police, along with the Pinellas Park Police, the Pinellas Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol shut down the street racing event.

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Charges Faced by Illegal Street Racing Suspects

An article in WTSP.com states that the suspects who were arrested faced charges for misdemeanors such as street racing, obstruction, and driving with a suspended license and felony charges like child endangerment and fleeing and eluding. In summary, the authorities issued 57 misdemeanors, 24 citations, and 12 felony charges. The St. Petersburg Police stated that the raid was part of a continuous effort to prevent the illegal street racing activities in the Pinellas County.

Reportedly, on January 29, Ethan Martin, 13, died at a street racing event he had attended with his father, Johnny Julio Martin, in St. Petersburg, Florida. A motorcycle that traveled 100 mph crashed as both father and son were watching illegal street racing. Johnny faced charges of child neglect thereafter. 

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