Police corral nearly 100 street racers in Sam’s Club parking lot, Georgia cops say
Clayton County GA March 16 2021
Deputies in Georgia say they arrested dozens of street racers after trapping them in a Sam’s Club parking lot.
The 88 street racers gathered in the parking lot on Jonesboro Road after coming into Clayton County on Saturday night, according to a Sunday news release from the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office says its COBRA Unit, Blackhawk Unit and Tactical Patrol responded to the area along with backup from the Clayton County Police Department. They blocked the parking lot’s exits and “deployed spike strips to flatten their tires if they decided to run.”
“Once closing off all areas of escape, deputies and officers went from car to car and arrested all 88 of the street racing crew,” the news release says.
One accused street racer, however, “tried to run” from a deputy and a chase ensued, the release says.
“He got the bumper of his Hell Cat knocked off in a pitt maneuver executed by the deputy,” the release says.
The deputy got the car’s tag information to identify the suspect, and the “pursuit was terminated before they went into a more populated area.”
The suspect had “until sundown” Sunday to turn himself in before members of the “Fugitive Squad” were sent looking for him, the sheriff’s office said.
The brother of the man police thought was driving the car, 20-year-old Oscar Gallegos, turned himself Sunday, allegedly telling deputies it was him, not his brother, who led deputies on the chase, the sheriff’s office said.
“Not wanting his brother to be hunted for something he did not do, Oscar decided to do the honorable thing and come forward,” the news release says.
Deputies and officers also seized four firearms and had at least 50 vehicles towed from the parking lot, the sheriff’s office release says.
Sixteen juveniles “were present” and their parents “were issued tickets when they arrived to pick up their children,” the sheriff’s office says.
Clayton County is just outside Atlanta, where street racing has been an increased issue since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, WSBTV reported in November.
Multiple cities in the area recently passed ordinances in an attempt to stop the problem, 11Alive reports.
“Street racing poses a danger for participants and spectators alike,” Ken DeSimone, the police chief of Sandy Springs, which recently passed such an ordinance, said, according to the TV station. “Whenever you mix high speed and driver antics, it is a recipe with a high potential to injure people and even kill someone.”
11ALive
