Weapons Waved, Fireworks Set Off, As 800 Vehicles Block Interstate Highway For Street Racing
By Anand Vasu
Police in Aurora, Colorado, said the southbound interstate 225 was intentionally blocked by 600 to 800 vehicles while street racing took place and weapons were waved. The incident occurred at night on March 7, according to a report on Fox News Denver.
In addition, there were reports of fireworks and smoke, police said. The area was eventually cleared but police believed that the street racing action could simply move to another location and were monitoring developments.
This came on the back of a motor accident at the intersection of 120th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in Thornton. Three men were killed and several others injured as two speeding cars rammed into stationary vehicles art the intersection.
Those killed were believed to have been in the speeding vehicles.
“I saw video and it was just horrific,” Jenna Hirsch, was quoted as saying by CBS Denver “The crash, huge flames. I heard people got burned alive. It sounded really awful.”
“It is every single night. It is bad,” Hirsch added. “We moved from downtown Denver to get away from the car noise and gun shots. Living up here has been 100 times worse. I feel like we are calling the cops every weekend to report the street racing that is continuing.”
Thornton police said they were yet to establish a direct connection between street racing and the incident.
Just last month, Colorado Springs City Council members were believed to be in support of an ordinance allowing law enforcement to seize vehicles they believed were connected to crime, in an effort to curb street racing in the region.
Under the proposed legislation, police officers could seize vehicles that were believed to have been used in illegal activity or used to facilitate illegal activity.
This included including fleeing from police during a traffic stop, gang-related activity, any drive-by crime, street contests or prostitution. The seizures would happen through a civil process.
“What we’re really looking at is a positive way of impacting the behavior here in Colorado Springs,”said David Edmundson, commander of Colorado Springs Police Department’s Sand Creek Division, to The Gazette.
While parents raised concerns that their vehicles may be used in such activity without their knowledge, resulting in seizures, there were safeguards in place to reduce such cases.
Police would issue a warning letter before seizing the vehicle in cases where the owner is unaware of what it’s is being used for, law enforcement said. If the same car was used in illegal activity a second time, this evidence would be presented to the city attorney to obtain a court order and seize the vehicle.
Law enforcement has said for long that social media was making it easier and easier for street racers to plan events and get together at short notice. While these posts do not give away details about the activity planned, those indulging in these activities understand the coded messages.