On Sunday night a street racing event shut down the southbound lanes of I-225 in Aurora, Colorado. Initial reports said that 600 to 800 cars shut down the highway, but the real number was far lower.
This latest street racing event is part of an ongoing street racing issue that has plagued the area for years, reports Fox Denver. Police, businesses and city council are scrambling to find solutions.
According to Denver Post, Tweets from the Aurora Police Department initially reported that 600 to 800 cars were blocking traffic. That’s the number making rounds in many stories right now. However, the police later walked back that initial number.
There weren’t 600 to 800 street racers, but 600 to 800 people gridlocked because of the street racers. From Next 9NEWS on YouTube:
The police also reported that weapons were being waved around and fireworks were shot off in all of the madness. Meanwhile, hundreds of motorists were stuck on the Interstate without anywhere to go. Unfortunately, there is a reason that the events keep happening and the issue keeps growing.
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Aurora Police spokesperson Matthew Longshore says that street racers in Aurora are only getting ticketed and are rarely arrested, from Denver Post:
Longshore said officers will issue a summons, but typically don’t take people into custody because of the COVID-19 restrictions in effect in the jails.
With penalties for street racing being that soft, I can see why so many street racers are turning the city into their personal racetracks.
Street racers are causing extensive damage throughout the area, leading to expensive repairs, Denver Post reports. Unfortunately, street racing around the state is also taking a human toll as people are dying from street racing incidents.
The police, communities and city officials in Aurora are working with each other for potential solutions. One idea being proposed is that police would impound vehicles after street races. The vehicles would be held temporarily in the hopes that the hassle of bailing a car out of car jail will discourage further street racing.
If you have the need for speed, take it to a drag strip. At the very least, do it where bystanders cannot get hurt.
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