Pinellas law enforcement officers arrested 69 people and impounded 23 vehicles in a crackdown on street racing this weekend led by the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Officers responded to a parking lot at 1101 Roosevelt Blvd. about 22:45 on Saturday night. According to a St. Petersburg police press release, they had learned that people planned to drive “donuts” in the parking lot and engage in other “dangerous street racing activities” before taking over other intersections important of Pinellas.
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Law enforcement officers in more than 50 patrol cars from the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Pinellas Park Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol surrounded and closed down the event .
“This was an opportunity for us to make a statement to the street racing community that we will have zero tolerance,” said Sgt. Michael Schade of the St. Petersburg Police Department’s traffic unit said at a news conference Monday. “Through our investigative techniques, we will continue to do what we do to discover these things before they happen and try to prevent them.”
St. Petersburg police vowed to renew efforts to crack down on street racing after authorities said a motorcyclist going more than 100 mph struck and killed 13-year-old Ethan Martin in an event earlier in the day. of year The boy’s father, Johnny Julio Martin, 35, was arrested on charges of child neglect for bringing his son to the event, police said.
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Police arrested the motorcyclist, 21-year-old Carlos Fernández, on felony counts of vehicular homicide, reckless homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury, as well as misdemeanor counts of street racing and operating a motorcycle without an endorsement. Police also arrested the owner of the motorcycle, 39-year-old Allan Boreland Jr., on a charge of negligent homicide.
Fernández and Martín have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. Court records show prosecutors dropped the manslaughter charge against Boreland late last month.
On Saturday, police responded to the Roosevelt Boulevard parking lot where dozens of people had already gathered for a street racing event. Police said many of them were not local.
Police arrested both adults and juveniles on felony charges that included fleeing and eluding and child endangerment after the parents brought their young daughter and 3-year-old son to the event. Law enforcement also arrested people on misdemeanor charges of street racing, driving with a suspended license and obstruction.
Law enforcement also issued 74 citations, police said.
“We strongly suggest to those of you who have engaged in this activity and may have plans to do so in the future, that you find a legal and safer activity,” St. Petersburg Police Deputy Chief Antonio Gilliam said at the conference of Monday’s press. “Because this activity will land you in jail or prison.”
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Members of the public can report racing events and participants to the Florida Highway Patrol by emailing StopRacing@flhsmv.gov.
