Officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department and other local agencies, including FHP, the Pinellas Park Police Department, and Pinellas Sheriff’s Office made 69 arrests on a planned crackdown on street racing.
At approximately 10:45 p.m., Saturday, April 22, the St. Petersburg Police Department led a major operation to shut down a street racing event.
Dozens of people had gathered in a parking lot between buildings at 1101 Roosevelt Blvd for an event involving vehicle doughnuts and other dangerous street racing activity.
Investigators had information that this was the warmup, and the group had plans to move on to “take over” major intersections throughout Pinellas County.
Law enforcement utilized more than 50 patrol cruisers and surrounded the event.
– 69 people were arrested
– 23 vehicles were impounded
Charges include:
-Felonies- fleeing and eluding, and child endangerment (Parents brought their infant daughter and three-year-old boy to the event)
-Misdemeanors – street racing, driving with a suspended license, and obstruction
-This is an ongoing investigation and additional charges could be forthcoming.
Below is a video clip showing two people almost run-over this weekend just before police arrived.
This crackdown is partially in response to a street racing event that killed 13-year-old Ethan Martin on February 8, 2023. Father of 13-year-old killed crossing 28th Street charged with felony child neglect – IONTB