Cops now crushing cars involved with Street Racing in Cali Options

[BlackCelicaGT94]

Cars crushed in street racing crackdown
By GREG RISLING
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/111...d_Hot_Rods.html




Sergio Zavala, 18, looks over his yellow 1993 Honda after his car was crushed at Ecology Auto Parts in Rialto, Calif., Wednesday, June 20, 2007. Six vehicles were destroyed in front of their owners Wednesday at an auto graveyard as local law enforcement ramps up enforcement this summer after illegal street racing is suspected or responsible for 13 deaths in Southern California since March. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
RIALTO, Calif. -- Charles Hoang winced when the whoosh went out of the tires. Daniel Maldonado took pictures with a digital camera as glass exploded and rained down to the ground.

The cars the teens had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.

"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."

Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.

The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers. Nearly 1,000 people - drivers and spectators - have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone.

Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives.

"We are making a dent," said Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee. "But it's summertime and ... we expect to see more activity."

Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.

When police popped open the hood, Hoang said, they found a stolen transmission. Hoang flashed a receipt for the transmission he bought from his father who runs an auto shop and doubted the item was hot.

"Everything on that car was practically brand new," Hoang said as he watched his car get moved to auto death row. "They should take out the stuff that matters, auction it off, and give the money to charity."

Because racers put heavy stress on their vehicles, they often burn out or blow up parts. Higbee said the need for the expensive parts has created a "theft mill" where additional cars - usually Hondas or Acuras - are stolen and stripped of the necessary replacements.

Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified. Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December. He had purchased a B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam a couple months before, and after a police investigation, was told it was stolen.

Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.

After watching his Civic demolished, Zavala is left without a car as he plans to attend a fire academy in the fall.

"It's heartbreaking to see this," said Zavala, who graduated from high school last year. "This is where all my time and money went."

Maldonado also said he put plenty of time and effort working on his 1992 black Honda Civic. He was stopped in November by police in what Higbee described as an area where racers gather.

The 18-year-old mechanic said a vehicle identification sticker apparently fell off and without it, police suspected some of the parts were stolen. Maldonado stood several feet away from his car as it was pounded into a heap of metal.

Maldonado said he has taken the advice of police by racing legally on one of several race courses around Southern California. For the money spent in fines and other penalties - on average about $5,000 for illegally modified cars - Higbee said street racers could compete about 250 times a year at a legitimate track.

"If you have to race, take it to a legal venue," Higbee said. "But as long as they keep racing illegally, we keep crushing their cars."

All three men who saw their vehicles destroyed said they believe illegal street racing will continue to prosper across the region.

"It will never go away," Maldonado said. "If it's in your heart, you will continue to do it until you can't anymore."

This post has been edited by BlackCelicaGT94: Jun 20, 2007 - 6:03 PM

[massbrandon]

WOW!

[forkee]

nothing new really

hey i know where that ecology is. i should go there and watch all the moron's cars get crushed

california rules!

This post has been edited by forkee: Jun 20, 2007 - 6:18 PM

[massbrandon]

^^lol.

[ILuvMyCelica95]

"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."


Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.

1. this guy needs to get out more, If you ask me they did him a favor.
2. good. People shouldn't be illegally street racing to begin with.
3. i do think that they should make more venues for legal "races" 1/4 mile etc.

[Supersprynt]

How do the cops just take your property and destroy it like that?

[Valo666]

they have been doing somethin like this in Ontario for the last year. Toronto police crushed a civic and a CRX that they seized form 2 street racers. In ontario now, if you get caught street racing, you get arrested right away, your lisence taken away, thrown in jail for a week or somethin like that, you have to pay a fine to get out of jail, then also you have to pay to get your car back, pay for the storage of your car and then for what ever tickets you get *usually street racing, reckless driving, endangering the public, distrubing the peace, and i think theres a few more that they charge you with as a standard for gettin caught street racing*. But most of the time the fees and charges cost soo much that you cant afford to pay the tickets, so the police seize your car and crush it. They have been doing alot of crazy crap like that for awhile now.

but i do think that it serves the ppl who r stupid enough to take their car and endanger ppls lives should have their cars taken away and crushed. There have been soooo many deaths in toronto and the GTA in the last few years regarding street racers.

But at the same time, i think that when cops have their own discression about weither or not a person was stret racing is twisted. One of my friends was driving his modified corvette last summer and swerved to miss a garbage bag that fell out of a pickuptruck bed, was doing 140km/h, only about 20km/h faster than average crusing speed on toronto highways. Swirved out of the way really quickly, lost controll, slammed sideways into a meadian, ripped his car in half, he got ejected out of the car *out the passanger side front window, he slipped out of his seat belt*, landed about 200feet away from the car. He survived for about 3 weeks b4 he passed away, but this stupid OPP *ontario provincial police* officer, Cam Woolie, said that because his car was modified and was going slightly faster than most other cars, he was street racing, even though he was driving alone.

[lagos]

How do the cops just take your property and destroy it like that?

x2


i understand taking away someones right to drive or throwing them in jail, but a car, much like a house, is your property. how can they just take it and destroy it when they dont have any legal ownership over the car?

[devilsden97]

How do the cops just take your property and destroy it like that?

x2


i understand taking away someones right to drive or throwing them in jail, but a car, much like a house, is your property. how can they just take it and destroy it when they dont have any legal ownership over the car?

there the government..

let the conspericy theoryists begin now.

[95CelicaST]

Its a Honda sandwich!

Someone should go buy the GT3's that integra has.. I <3 junk yards

[Valo666]

How do the cops just take your property and destroy it like that?

x2


i understand taking away someones right to drive or throwing them in jail, but a car, much like a house, is your property. how can they just take it and destroy it when they dont have any legal ownership over the car?

there the government..

let the conspericy theoryists begin now.

im guessin same way as they r taking them away here in Ontario, forfet of asset. you cant afford to pay the tickets or charges, they seize your assets. Like if you go bankrupt and cant pay taxes, they take your stuff instead.

[goferris]

that's the law there. it is really strict. here it is no matter what if you are caught street racing your car is automatically impounded. so pretty much right off the bat you are going to pay 800. and that is if they only have it overnight.
i personally don't agree with the fact that they can just take your car and crush it but i think it is appropriate to give them quite a hefty fine. now if they find that there are confirmed stolen parts on it then they should take it.
give them jail time and a hefty fine and suspend their license for a yr. that should teach them.
don't crush there car!
That is an expensive joyride!!!

[jgreening]

How do the cops just take your property and destroy it like that?

x2


i understand taking away someones right to drive or throwing them in jail, but a car, much like a house, is your property. how can they just take it and destroy it when they dont have any legal ownership over the car?

Its BS plain and simple. They justify it as fruits of illegal activity kinda like seizing a drug lord's house. Bottom line is that its a taking without just compensation in violation of the Constitution. Unfortunately, the courts have already sanctioned this radical conduct in the name of the war on drugs.

[KaJuN]

well, with a lot of people knowing this law is implemented, don't you think they'll be a little hesitant to pull over for the cops after being caught street racing? I know i'd drive it like i stole it if i were in that situation. ****, i'd run till i ran outta gas, haha.

[snapshotgt]

Just don't street race. Take it to the track, and keep you car. It is as easy as that.

[x_itchy_b_x]

oh man. that SUCKS. street racing and putting people in danger is not cool.
for Cali this might be a good excuse to get the cars off the road, instead of redistributed.
i hate all the bad attention modified cars get. ive had cops ask me to pop my hood so they could poke around, bah yeah right. i hope this isnt an excuse to take the modified imports off the road.

[lagos]

oh man. that SUCKS. street racing and putting people in danger is not cool.
for Cali this might be a good excuse to get the cars off the road, instead of redistributed.
i hate all the bad attention modified cars get. ive had cops ask me to pop my hood so they could poke around, bah yeah right. i hope this isnt an excuse to take the modified imports off the road.

did you do it? id tell them to fuk off.

[x_itchy_b_x]

oh man. that SUCKS. street racing and putting people in danger is not cool.
for Cali this might be a good excuse to get the cars off the road, instead of redistributed.
i hate all the bad attention modified cars get. ive had cops ask me to pop my hood so they could poke around, bah yeah right. i hope this isnt an excuse to take the modified imports off the road.

did you do it? id tell them to fuk off.

No way lol. I know my rights.

[tim86]

california is retarded... they always think their drastic crackdowns on street racing will make a world of difference, but all it does is just piss people off and now people racing there will try to run or even crash their car and endanger their life before the cops get to take it and crush it

[creis]

sounds like a decent penalty for street racing.

estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.

gata love that.

[uberschall]

street racing is simply being treated more like other criminal acts, like carrying a gun in public. the moment you decide to do it, you forfeit some legal rights.

i've never understood the street racer mentality anyway. serves them right...especially the loser whose mom was paying for his stupidity.

i hope more of them DO crash. maybe then they will learn that public roads are NOT the appropriate place for their shenanigans.

it's against the law for perfectly understandable reasons. even if it were completely unjustified, it's still the law.

period.

[Yellow94GT]

street racing is simply being treated more like other criminal acts, like carrying a gun in public. the moment you decide to do it, you forfeit some legal rights.

i've never understood the street racer mentality anyway. serves them right...especially the loser whose mom was paying for his stupidity.

i hope more of them DO crash. maybe then they will learn that public roads are NOT the appropriate place for their shenanigans.

I can understand the reason for taking a very serious response to a very serious threat to public safety.
Law enforcement can seize and destroy vehicles that:
1. are proven to have stolen parts
2. involved in street racing

Crushing cars is aimed at stopping the cycle street racing and the stolen parts that are sometimes used to support street racing.
I say that this is good for the community if it decreases the numbers of deaths or crimes that are associated with stolen parts or racing on the public roads.


Vid of cars being crushed

Another article on crushing cars associated with street racing or stolen parts

Podcast of the article above

Yellow94GT

[Sinyk]

That just made my morning.

I hope they bring this to BC. People are getting killed here all the time in street racing accidents by reckless teenagers. I want to be there with a lawn chair and a bowl of popcorn watching as their ricer goes into the compacter.

Keep that sh!t off the streets.

[Sh0gunkid8721]

Let the kids race and die...i could care less. Its just less stupid people in the world. I show no sympathy for stupidity and ignorance in the world. If they harm innocent civilians while street racing, they should be tried for murder and death penalty should be put into consideration.

[Sinyk]

Let the kids race and die...i could care less. Its just less stupid people in the world. I show no sympathy for stupidity and ignorance in the world. If they harm innocent civilians while street racing, they should be tried for murder and death penalty should be put into consideration.

That's the biggest problem. They aren't dying, innocent people are, and these kids are getting a slap on the wrist as punishment.

[jgreening]

Let the kids race and die...i could care less. Its just less stupid people in the world. I show no sympathy for stupidity and ignorance in the world. If they harm innocent civilians while street racing, they should be tried for murder and death penalty should be put into consideration.

That's the biggest problem. They aren't dying, innocent people are, and these kids are getting a slap on the wrist as punishment.

You're right. But the solution is not an illegal taking of private property without due process. Make the criminal punishment more severe if necessary - even including large fines if that makes sense. Summary civil forfeiture is just wrong.

[massbrandon]

^^ they are not taking their cars without it being necessary. The cars that are being crushed (if Im not wrong) are the ones with stolen parts and such on them.

[coldbluesteel]

Wow! I t would make sense if they were to seize the cars and auction them. Ya know give them a chance to get them back or someone else that has more sense. That way they could get funds to stop real crime.


If they were to catch me after a street race... not likely, then crush my car, I would just take it in stride.
Just go buy a 79 burban jack it to the sky, put some 44's on it, then go play in the parking lot at precinct.
Call it an eye for an eye.


After thought... this is just going to cause more mayhem, death, and carnage. I mean think about it...
a young guy, or girl... knows they will crush their car if they get caught so they just run. Putting more by standers in danger.


This post has been edited by coldbluesteel: Jun 21, 2007 - 2:47 PM

[jgreening]

^^ they are not taking their cars without it being necessary. The cars that are being crushed (if Im not wrong) are the ones with stolen parts and such on them.

Who says what is necessary? Is it necessary to crush a 1998 Integra Type R because there is a stolen transmission in it? The owner sourced the transmission from somewhere - he didn't steal it himself. Why not just demand the return of the stolen goods? An innocent third party purchaser has no way of knowing if used parts are stolen. Maybe they should run the risk of losing their investment if the part turns out to be stolen, but does anyone really think its fair to have their whole car crushed?????????

Either they crush the car because of stolen parts or they crush it because of street racing (which is what the article is about). Either way, its still BS.

[95celgt]

hmm, thats stupid, the racing here is privately organized, usually past midnight on closed roads, with very little spectators who stay back in their car.. Back on topic, doesn't matter what anyone does, crushing shouldn't be allowed, maybe more time in the Pen is acceptable, but dam, if they crushed my car id open up a can of woop-ass lol

[massbrandon]

I don't know about you guys but, I would rather watch my car get crushed than have the fact that I killed someone because I was stupid hovering over my head for the rest of my life.

[eggman40]

Im not a fan of street racing, but the fact that they crush your car is outrageous! There has to be a better way. Auctioning the cars off would bring in more money into the state, especially after all the fines. But crushing should be outlawed. Because if that were the case... they should crush cars for DUI's cuse they kill more people than street racing right? Suddenly that doesnt sound feasible, because then it would be more likely that cops and city officials will have to crush familiy members or friend's cars because it is more common. Street Racing= Stupid Idea... But what I hate the most is that car enthusiasts are all made out to be some sort of bad guys around here. You can have a set of nice rims w/o a cop staring you down... ( i had a friend pulled over and told to take off his red rims because they attract too much attention) WTF? So then those People that hold signs on street corners to get your attention should be arrested and taken to jail right?? thats BullShlt! Its almost a form of Pro-filing people. It has to stop





Although again i will mention, if you get caught doing something stupid, you earned your punishment.

This post has been edited by eggman40: Jun 21, 2007 - 8:43 PM

[Yellow94GT]

^^ they are not taking their cars without it being necessary. The cars that are being crushed (if Im not wrong) are the ones with stolen parts and such on them.

Who says what is necessary? Is it necessary to crush a 1998 Integra Type R because there is a stolen transmission in it? The owner sourced the transmission from somewhere - he didn't steal it himself. Why not just demand the return of the stolen goods? An innocent third party purchaser has no way of knowing if used parts are stolen. Maybe they should run the risk of losing their investment if the part turns out to be stolen, but does anyone really think its fair to have their whole car crushed?????????

Either they crush the car because of stolen parts or they crush it because of street racing (which is what the article is about). Either way, its still BS.

1. Ordinarily I am not in favor for sweeping away of people's freedom.

I would say however that the tragedy over the street racer's due process rights bothers me less than
crushing the cars of those who are using them to race on public roads.


uberschall made a good comparision:
"street racing is simply being treated more like other criminal acts, like carrying a gun in public. the
moment you decide to do it, you forfeit some legal rights."


2. As far as stolen parts goes:

Hoang the "owner" of that particular 1998 Integra Type R said he had been caught using to race on public
roads.

Maldonado's "vehicle identification sticker apparently fell of".

Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000
on improvements to his car.

The vehicle code allows law enforcement to destroy vehicle even if a part is has been proven to be stolen
in California. It was interesting that the article mentioned only individuals who had been involved directly
with racing on public roads.

You better buy parts from a legitimate source if you live or drive in California.


Yellow94GT

This post has been edited by Yellow94GT: Jun 22, 2007 - 6:37 AM

[cnelson]

thats just bs.. i mean taking the right to drive one thing, jail another. destorying property? somone should take a stand!

[uberschall]

thats just bs.. i mean taking the right to drive one thing, jail another. destorying property? somone should take a stand!

yeah, and all the dudes that get caught with illegal firearms or huge supplies of narcotics, and kiddie porn should get their stuff back too. i mean, it's theirs! wtf!?!

[MaskedMan]

thats just bs.. i mean taking the right to drive one thing, jail another. destorying property? somone should take a stand!

yeah, and all the dudes that get caught with illegal firearms or huge supplies of narcotics, and kiddie porn should get their stuff back too. i mean, it's theirs! wtf!?!

speaking of which, what do they do with all that stuff they take? not talking about the kiddie porn, but like all the narcotics and drugs that they take? I know they auction off a drug house, do they auction off marijuana to glaucoma patients? haha jk, but seriously now, anything you own can be taken away (except our faith) so basically we don't truley own anything in this world. But what gets me is that, street racing can be mistaken at times, and i wouldn't want my car crushed becuase of that. Sometimes i speed (yes it's true, im a terrible person) but like, what if while im speeding, someone decides to blow past me? Then we are both speeding at the same time, which makes it look like we are street racing right? And what if like, the car i'm driving happens to have stolen parts on it, but i bought the car like that? That would kind of really suck. But seriously, how are we supposed to know if parts we buy off such places like Ebay, are legit or not? So many people use Ebay, and we have no way of finding out where these parts came from, if they are off a stolen car or not. So any part we put on our car, after market or not, could end up getting us in a lot of trouble, am i right?

[bufferdan]

I'd be so anti- street racing also if my only car was a corolla/camry powered celica too I do think street racing can be dangerous....thats not to say i dont do it sometimes...

[Yellow94GT]

Vids
Car crushing vid Length: 03:28 min. Format: Windows Media Video_ 9 PE. com

Another vid of Street racers cars being crushed
Length: 2:57 min. | Size: 12.3 MB | File Format: QuickTime. Daily Bulletin.com/news

San Diego crushes cars with stolen parts Length 1:09 minutes File Format: RealVideo The San Diego Union-Tribune

Articles

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/111...d_Hot_Rods.html

Car Crushing article in Daily Bulletin.com

Owners have opportunity to appeal seized cars

Pics

Pics of car crushing

Legal Racing

Firebird Raceway Street event


Speed World Motorplex

1. Racing on public roads. "If you're caught street racing, your car is going to be impounded," Riverside police Sgt. Skip Showalter said, "and we're going to crush it." http://www.pe.com/localnews/publicsafety/s...01.3e16c84.html


2. Stolen parts: Every article I've read spoke of stolen engine or transmissions being the cause of the vehicle to be seized.

Mostly they were found to have parts with serial or identification numbers that have been defaced or removed or to have stolen transmissions or engines.
"San Diego city officials announced yesterday that they would crush cars they find fitted with stolen engines or transmissions in an effort to break what they say is a continuing cycle of auto theft." http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/metr...9-1m7crush.html

Vehicle Code Section 10751 states:
The owner can make an appeal within 90 days. before the vehicle will go to the crusher.


Yellow94GT

This post has been edited by Yellow94GT: Jun 22, 2007 - 9:42 AM

[elvasoshexai]

just incase anyone is interested, in ontario ur car can be crushed/impounded if it is just SUSPECTED of street racing... i think they just did this because there were a couple new incidents again lately...

and 2 americans just had their corvettes seized for doing 200km/h on a highway that just had 2 major accidents that blocked the entire highway earlier this week. (article says they might have to bus back down)

in ontario, if a cop stops u and asks you to pop ur hood and u don't, they are just gonna call the pros in to check ur car all over and give some bs excuse as to why it is justified.

i just can't believe how many people in ontario are soooo happy cars are being crushed...

This post has been edited by elvasoshexai: Jun 22, 2007 - 10:16 AM

[Defgeph]

This will further escalate stolen parts and stolen cars. You are not going to stop street racing, it will evolve around current laws.

They take the car if you get caught, fine. Buy a shell, steal a motor, tranny, wheels and tires.
Go race, thats whats going to happen. It's happening that way right now, now more people will turn to this method.


Plus, there is no incentive to stop for the cops, not like you want to stop. If they where going to take my car, I wouldn't stop.


This is a bad idea.


They should build more tracks, and let them gamble at the track.

[elvasoshexai]

i don't really race @ all.. but one problem i see with more tracks is that insurance companies will just hv spies @ these tracks to see if you bring ur car to the track.. then ur premium will sky rocket... and i'm sure sky high insurance rates is one reason people may avoid the track... actually.. i tihnk they already do that...

plus there's the high possibility of cops camping around race tracks to catch people that are going to/from the track to give speeding/fix-it tickets... just like darknights... what a disaster that was...

[IdiotStick]

Forgive me if Im wrong, but isnt your insurance invalid once you get onto the track? I was under the impression that once you drove onto the track your car is no longer covered by your insurance company. ANd I THINK that some track's provide an insurance policy that you can purchase

Im probably way off base here

[Hanyo]

i don't really race @ all.. but one problem i see with more tracks is that insurance companies will just hv spies @ these tracks to see if you bring ur car to the track.. then ur premium will sky rocket... and i'm sure sky high insurance rates is one reason people may avoid the track... actually.. i tihnk they already do that...

plus there's the high possibility of cops camping around race tracks to catch people that are going to/from the track to give speeding/fix-it tickets... just like darknights... what a disaster that was...

Forgive me if Im wrong, but isnt your insurance invalid once you get onto the track? I was under the impression that once you drove onto the track your car is no longer covered by your insurance company. ANd I THINK that some track's provide an insurance policy that you can purchase

Im probably way off base here

its not that your insurance will increase when used on the track. Its about insurance companies taking pictures of your licence plate when your car is on the track. Then they used that picture as evidence against you, claiming you are now in a higher risk group. And they can charge you a higher premium rate per month.

And your correct, your car insurance does not cover damages on the track.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think this whole thing about crushing cars is a good thing. I've seen too many stolen parts flying around. Once a car has been discovered with more then 3 stolen parts, the car should be crushed and the owner fined. If you buy parts, you need to have papers or some proof of how you obtained your parts.

But this car crushing does give law enforcment too much power. What happens if your driving alone late at night and felt like doing some spirited driving? The police officer could claim your street racing and you will get your car destroyed.