Street race in Kalifornia and you will get your car DESTROYED

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Street race in Kalifornia and you will get your car DESTROYED (Page 1 of 3)

Posted: 10/20/2004 7:54:28 AM EDT

This about takes the cake in my opinion, Kalifornia with the biggest deficit in all of the land and they are destroying cars to make a point. Instead of selling the cars at an auction to generate revenue, they are SPENDING money to destroy the cars instead. Of course, they have to get these evil "high powered" cars off the street before they hurt someone. (sounds familiar doesn't it) I hate street racers myself because I value the safety of myself and my family, but destroying cars is not the answer.

Police target deadly races in Valley streets

By Jason Kandel
Staff Writer

VAN NUYS -- In the latest crackdown on street racing, police arrested 12 people during an illegal gathering early Wednesday and seized two souped-up Ford Mustangs, which they vowed to destroy.

The stepped-up effort came after the deaths Friday of two Valley Christian School seniors, both 17, in a street-racing crash in Sun Valley.

Acting on a tip, police from the Valley's auto-theft detail and traffic division, including some working undercover, descended on the 8000 block of Haskell Avenue just after midnight Wednesday and found 35 carloads of people lined up to watch and participate in races. Officers videotaped the event, then swooped in to make the arrests.

Along with two drivers, who were not immediately identified, police arrested the flagman and nine spectators, including five minors.

"This is a dangerous, dangerous activity," said Capt. Greg Meyer, who commands the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division. "It's dangerous for the people involved. It's dangerous for innocent bystanders.

"There's been a lot of fatalities, there's been a lot of major traffic collisions, and the public's tired of it," Meyer said. "The police and the Fire Department are tired of picking up the bodies, so we are cracking down on street racing."

The five minors were cited and released to their parents. The other spectators were issued $50 citations.

The drivers were booked into the Van Nuys Jail on suspicion of engaging in street racing, and the flagman was booked on suspicion of aiding or abetting. Bail was set at $10,000 each.

After the arrests, police seized the Mustangs under a new Los Angeles city code that allows destruction of "nuisance vehicles." If found guilty, the motorists face a minimum of 10 days in jail, a fine of $900, driver's license suspension and higher insurance rates.

"We're sending the message that if you street-race in L.A., it will not only cost you a couple hundred dollars for a speeding ticket, but it will cost you your car, and it will be destroyed," said Lt. Steve Allen of the Valley Traffic Division.

City Councilwoman Wendy Gruel, who sponsored the ordinance, lamented the fact that street-racing continues.

"You can die by drag racing. We're not going to give up on this until it stops."

Police said the Mustangs confiscated in Wednesday's raid had illegal racing slicks and nitrous-oxide fuel systems that can propel the cars up to 130 mph.

The City Attorney's Office staff has seized seven cars used in speed contests since the new law became effective, said office spokesman Frank Mateljan. Next Wednesday, police intend to destroy the first car, a Camaro, seized under the new law last year.

The raid came four days after Nicholas Roth and Christopher Oliver were killed and Michael Lee, also 17 and a senior at Valley Christian, was critically injured in a street race. Police said Roth and Lee were passengers and Lee was driving when he lost control of his Chevrolet Camaro, which veered into opposing traffic and crashed head-on into a pickup truck in the 9900 block of La Tuna Canyon Road in Sun Valley.

Lee, who underwent brain surgery at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, could face charges in the deaths of his friends and for the injuries, described as moderate, to the pickup truck driver.

Police were seeking the driver of another pickup truck -- a light-blue Ford F-150 -- who might have been racing Lee, but who fled after the crash.

Friends of the dead teens, both former football players, were expected to hold a memorial service Saturday before Village Christian's football game against Montclair Prep.

Just a month before the two deaths, Aram Aleksanyan, 19, of Van Nuys was fatally injured when he lost control of his speeding car, which slammed into a tree and ricocheted off two parked cars that burst into flames on Victory Boulevard near Friar Street in Woodland Hills.

Police said Aleksanyan was racing Louis Blaine Rodgers, 24, of Reseda, who was arrested and faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Traffic-related deaths in the Valley have jumped 17 percent, totaling 69 so far this year, compared with 59 in the same period last year.

What??? 130MPH???? WOWEEE!!!!!!!!! With nitrous that Mustang can hit 130?? Is that one of those 4-cylinder Stangs from the 80's or something??? Dumbasses!!!!

www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%7E20954%7E2450872,00.html?search=filter

Posted: 10/20/2004 7:56:30 AM EDT

[#1]

Yep... dumbasses....

I can get to 135 pretty easily without nitrous. Hell, just about any car will do over 100.

I agree with the deficit thing. Sell the cars after confiscating them. Generate some revenue.

Posted: 10/20/2004 7:58:56 AM EDT

[#2]

illegal racing slicks? they might want to check if they are the DOT approved street slicks

and IIRC nitrous systems are perfectly legal to install but you just cant use them, unless the nanny state of the PRK decided that they were too dangerous for mere citizens to have installed and banned the installation of them on their cars for their own good.

now I'm not an advocate of street racing, but this is going too far in my opinion.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:00:35 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
illegal racing slicks? they might want to check if they are the DOT approved street slicks

and IIRC nitrous systems are perfectly legal to install but you just cant use them, unless the nanny state of the PRK decided that they were too dangerous for mere citizens to have installed and banned the installation of them on their cars for their own good.

now I'm not an advocate of street racing, but this is going too far in my opinion.

+1

Why am I not surprised this is in CA?

How long before it's not just guns that people want to ban, but SUV's and sports cars. Yeah, that's it. Force everyone to drive a tiny econobox...

Afterall, this IS the Land of the ~~Free~~

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:02:54 AM EDT

[#4]

theyre destroying and not selling the cars because THAT would make too much sense...

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:03:31 AM EDT

[#5]

Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:04:20 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
theyre destroying and not selling the cars because THAT would make too much sense...

same thing that they do with confiscated firearms, since its been imbued with and evil aura, it must be shredded to keep the evil from causing more crime

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:05:22 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

How long before it's not just guns that people want to ban, but SUV's and sports cars. Yeah, that's it. Force everyone to drive a tiny econobox...

I think it sounds great comrade!

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:06:20 AM EDT

[#8]

If the entire United States was like Kalifornia...I'd probably start touting the "Tree of Liberty" quote on the streets and in the Capital.

How do you Californians put up with the BS mindset of your politicians?

I truly feel sorry for you folks.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:07:12 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

+1

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:08:34 AM EDT

[#10]

My V-6 MPV will do 120MPH.
FREE

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:10:07 AM EDT

[#11]

You relinquish your right to own when you do something that fucking stupid on public roads. Having greatly exceeded the speed limit (and 130 for that matter) on public roads, I realize this is the pot calling the kettle black. Bottom line, the racetrack is there and its affordable. You wanna run what ya brung, take it there.

Its all fun and games until they bury a car in the side of a minivan with 6 kids packed inside.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:11:23 AM EDT

[#12]

Mr Tharpe when is your payment on your new Mustang?

It was stolen by the police, send them the bill bitch!!

FREE

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:14:06 AM EDT

[#13]

Seizing the cars IMHO is complete bullshit. I also think destroying them is stupid too. At worst I think they should be able to keep them for a certain period of time after which the rightful owner can reclaim them after paying fines or some such. Destroying them is probably better than selling them for profit though in that it takes away any incentive from certain departments who may otherwise loosely interpret "racing" in order to generate more revenue.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:15:28 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

+1

+2

Government theft.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:19:30 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
This about takes the cake in my opinion, Kalifornia with the biggest deficit in all of the land and they are destroying cars to make a point. Instead of selling the cars at an auction to generate revenue, they are SPENDING money to destroy the cars instead. Of course, they have to get these evil "high powered" cars off the street before they hurt someone. (sounds familiar doesn't it) I hate street racers myself because I value the safety of myself and my family, but destroying cars is not the answer.

Police target deadly races in Valley streets

By Jason Kandel
Staff Writer

VAN NUYS -- In the latest crackdown on street racing, police arrested 12 people during an illegal gathering early Wednesday and seized two souped-up Ford Mustangs, which they vowed to destroy.

The stepped-up effort came after the deaths Friday of two Valley Christian School seniors, both 17, in a street-racing crash in Sun Valley.

Acting on a tip, police from the Valley's auto-theft detail and traffic division, including some working undercover, descended on the 8000 block of Haskell Avenue just after midnight Wednesday and found 35 carloads of people lined up to watch and participate in races. Officers videotaped the event, then swooped in to make the arrests.

Along with two drivers, who were not immediately identified, police arrested the flagman and nine spectators, including five minors.

"This is a dangerous, dangerous activity," said Capt. Greg Meyer, who commands the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division. "It's dangerous for the people involved. It's dangerous for innocent bystanders.

"There's been a lot of fatalities, there's been a lot of major traffic collisions, and the public's tired of it," Meyer said. "The police and the Fire Department are tired of picking up the bodies, so we are cracking down on street racing."

The five minors were cited and released to their parents. The other spectators were issued $50 citations.

The drivers were booked into the Van Nuys Jail on suspicion of engaging in street racing, and the flagman was booked on suspicion of aiding or abetting. Bail was set at $10,000 each.

After the arrests, police seized the Mustangs under a new Los Angeles city code that allows destruction of "nuisance vehicles." If found guilty, the motorists face a minimum of 10 days in jail, a fine of $900, driver's license suspension and higher insurance rates.

"We're sending the message that if you street-race in L.A., it will not only cost you a couple hundred dollars for a speeding ticket, but it will cost you your car, and it will be destroyed," said Lt. Steve Allen of the Valley Traffic Division.

City Councilwoman Wendy Gruel, who sponsored the ordinance, lamented the fact that street-racing continues.

"You can die by drag racing. We're not going to give up on this until it stops."

Police said the Mustangs confiscated in Wednesday's raid had illegal racing slicks and nitrous-oxide fuel systems that can propel the cars up to 130 mph.

The City Attorney's Office staff has seized seven cars used in speed contests since the new law became effective, said office spokesman Frank Mateljan. Next Wednesday, police intend to destroy the first car, a Camaro, seized under the new law last year.

The raid came four days after Nicholas Roth and Christopher Oliver were killed and Michael Lee, also 17 and a senior at Valley Christian, was critically injured in a street race. Police said Roth and Lee were passengers and Lee was driving when he lost control of his Chevrolet Camaro, which veered into opposing traffic and crashed head-on into a pickup truck in the 9900 block of La Tuna Canyon Road in Sun Valley.

Lee, who underwent brain surgery at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, could face charges in the deaths of his friends and for the injuries, described as moderate, to the pickup truck driver.

Police were seeking the driver of another pickup truck -- a light-blue Ford F-150 -- who might have been racing Lee, but who fled after the crash.

Friends of the dead teens, both former football players, were expected to hold a memorial service Saturday before Village Christian's football game against Montclair Prep.

Just a month before the two deaths, Aram Aleksanyan, 19, of Van Nuys was fatally injured when he lost control of his speeding car, which slammed into a tree and ricocheted off two parked cars that burst into flames on Victory Boulevard near Friar Street in Woodland Hills.

Police said Aleksanyan was racing Louis Blaine Rodgers, 24, of Reseda, who was arrested and faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Traffic-related deaths in the Valley have jumped 17 percent, totaling 69 so far this year, compared with 59 in the same period last year.

What??? 130MPH???? WOWEEE!!!!!!!!! With nitrous that Mustang can hit 130?? Is that one of those 4-cylinder Stangs from the 80's or something??? Dumbasses!!!!

www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%7E20954%7E2450872,00.html?search=filter

How the fuck does the actions one city choose to take equal all of Calif? Using lvgunner777-Logic since some dude buttfucked some other dude in Las Vegas last night---all dudes in Nevada are faggots.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:19:57 AM EDT

[#16]

Next thing you know the great state of Kalifornistan is going to target the elderly in motorized wheelchairs....

California =

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:19:59 AM EDT

[#17]

Seizing the vehicles and either destroying them or selling them seems improper. And it's not that much of a detterent if they (or their parents), can just buy another car the next day (plus putting the time and money in to 'pimp" it out).

Hit'em where it hurts: 1-2 year license suspension for a first offense, 5 years for a second, etc... no "hardship" exceptions.

Let'em walk or bicycle.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:21:02 AM EDT

[#18]

Yeah destroying their cars is FULLY wrong....until some jackass is a souped up POS plows in to the side of one of YOUR family members cars and kills them.

I don't think it's appropriate to destroy the offenders car the 1st time they're caught. Do it twice? Put everyone around you in danger because your a fuckin idiot? Fuck you, car is GONE. Scrap metal. Next?

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:33:01 AM EDT

[#19]

And we can thank this confiscation of property frame of mind to the "war on drugs"

You people realize it's only going to get worse as the years go by? In 50 years they'll be able to take whatever the hell they want for whatever the misdemeanor du jour is.

edit: HOLY CRAP it is a CITY CODE that allows them to confiscate the cars? I had NO IDEA that municipalities had that kind of authority, I thought it would at least take a state law (which would be inviolation of the constitution, but nevertheless, a state law) to confiscate property like that.. yeah it is going to get worse, folks.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:42:52 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

For once I agree with you...

Cruel & Unusual Punishment...

Around here, it's a 6pt ticket & $600 fine - if you do it & get caught twice in a year -> no more driver's license...

Aren't there limits on penalties for misdemeanors? Around here anything that carries a $10,000 or higher fine is a felony...

Or did they actually make street racing a felony in CA?

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:44:27 AM EDT

[#21]

California had the same problem 50 years ago. They need to give these kids a place to race.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:49:31 AM EDT

[#22]

So, do these cars get destroyed before or after the driver is convicted of a crime? If it's before, aren't the owners being deprived of property without due process?

Or did the writers of this Municipal Code not even think of that?

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:51:51 AM EDT

[#23]

If you guys would work on your reading comprehension, you would see that these guys were booked on "suspicion of street racing". That means they were not actually racing. They were just "looking like they might be racing". Did you notice that the article did not mention that anyone was given a speeding ticket?
How about we take this a Los Angles step further. We send out a police task force and have them prey on a group of individuals that are then charged with suspicion of terrorist activities. The individuals were practicing shooting individuals, there is a large group of them, they had designated leaders, and they had weapons. Arrest them. Take their weapons, and destroy them.

Oh, wait. I was describing a IDPA match.

Posted: 10/20/2004 8:58:29 AM EDT

[#24]

What about these idiots parents? Do they even know what their kids are driving around? Having been 16 not entirely that long ago I would laugh my butt off if my son wanted to buy/assemble a vehicle that could do these kinds of speeds. Why? Because I know that he would do what I would have done with it . . . drive really fast. If he wanted to build a track racer, that is different. Taking a muscle car to a track to race can be really educational, especially when you lose it and smear the car across the infield. That is why they have ambulances on site.

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:04:44 AM EDT

[#25]

Ok, lets see...I'm a street racer in LA. I just blew past the fuzz going into fourth on the spray. He rips out of the donut shop, -code 3- a la Roscoe P. Coaltrain. I think about the penalties I am about to incur when I pull over... I'm 17 and my most valuable asset is going to get crushed along with my ego and everything else I think is most important in my life..$10,000 bail and no DL for a while.... Hmmm....

Back on the juice and move it on up to about a buck-fifty....right into a car full of cub scouts.

That law sure helped out.

When I was doing that sort of thing (out on a country road w/ no traffic) and the PD caught me I got about $400- $500 dollars in tickets. I found out real quick it was cheaper and less hassle to go to the track than get caught on the street. I learned a good lesson and I didn't go to jail, get my car crushed and life ruined for learning it.

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:08:49 AM EDT

[#26]

Procurement of my property by a government agency would probably cause me to do some killin...

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:21:55 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

+1

+2

Government theft.

Modified for street racing? Check.

Employed street racing? Check.

Doesn't sound like theft to me. It sounds like nuisance abatement.

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:22:44 AM EDT

[#28]

Bottom line, the racetrack is there

Where? I live in the middle of the "NASCAR-south," and I don't know of a single paved race track within 150 miles. Also, the cops closed down all of the dragstrips within about 120 miles including the one that was down the street from me. Where are the kids going to race? They do it on the road. There aren't many drag strips around like there were in the late 50's.

its affordable.

A local group just rented the closest track I know that's available for private rentals. It's 150 miles away, and it was almost $8,000 per day. That is not affordable nor is it reasonable to expect the kids to drive 6 hours round trip!z

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:24:50 AM EDT

[#29]

Hell, my "stock" 98 Civic can get up to 124....

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:27:22 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

+1

+2

Government theft.

Modified for street racing? Check.

Employed street racing? Check.

Doesn't sound like theft to me. It sounds like nuisance abatement.

bullshit...is it illegal ..yes...the court can dole out the punishment...taking property?...bullet time...

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:32:49 AM EDT

[#31]

Last car fire I worked before I went TDY the owner ran up to us as we got the hose and yelled "there is a nitrous tank in the trunk"!!!!!!!!!

Made for a few interesting moments.

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:35:48 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Bottom line, the racetrack is there

Where? I live in the middle of the "NASCAR-south," and I don't know of a single paved race track within 150 miles. Also, the cops closed down all of the dragstrips within about 120 miles including the one that was down the street from me. Where are the kids going to race? They do it on the road. There aren't many drag strips around like there were in the late 50's.

They closed Greer?

When the fuck did that happen?

Edit:

Greer is still open, your in the upstate right?

www.greerdragway.com/

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:43:17 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Destroying them is probably better than selling them for profit though in that it takes away any incentive from certain departments who may otherwise loosely interpret "racing" in order to generate more revenue.

That's exactly what I thought.

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:50:08 AM EDT

[#34]

Wouldn't the Fifth Amendment require the city to pay the racer for the car?

Posted: 10/20/2004 9:56:23 AM EDT

[#35]

that is the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard. It truly shows the intelligence of the people in california

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:01:35 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

+1

+2

Government theft.

Modified for street racing? Check.

Employed street racing? Check.

Doesn't sound like theft to me. It sounds like nuisance abatement.

bullshit...is it illegal ..yes...the court can dole out the punishment...taking property?...bullet time...

Let's say that I take my legally owned firearm to the city park and set up some cans on a park bench for target practice.

Would you give me my gun back? Or is it "bullet time"

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:12:05 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

+1

+2

Government theft.

Modified for street racing? Check.

Employed street racing? Check.

Doesn't sound like theft to me. It sounds like nuisance abatement.

bullshit...is it illegal ..yes...the court can dole out the punishment...taking property?...bullet time...

Let's say that I take my legally owned firearm to the city park and set up some cans on a park bench for target practice.

Would you give me my gun back? Or is it "bullet time"

If I'm in the park shooting a gun and you come for it..I'm sure its bullet time.

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:16:57 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Seizing the cars shouldn't be legal.

Jail them, fine them, whatever, but stealing their property isn't right.

+1

+2

Government theft.

Modified for street racing? Check.

Employed street racing? Check.

Doesn't sound like theft to me. It sounds like nuisance abatement.

bullshit...is it illegal ..yes...the court can dole out the punishment...taking property?...bullet time...

Let's say that I take my legally owned firearm to the city park and set up some cans on a park bench for target practice.

Would you give me my gun back? Or is it "bullet time"

What time of day? Conditions?

Did any body notice that they could confiscate "nuisance vehicles"? Fine I want all ricers, all imports (i.e. HQ'd overseas), all chebbies, and anything smaller than a Ford Tarus shitcanned because I find them all to be a 'nuisance'. You are quite the sheeple. I do not agree with street racing, but I don't agree with government theft and destruction of property either.

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:19:07 AM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:

Did any body notice that they could confiscate "nuisance vehicles"? Fine I want all ricers, all imports (i.e. HQ'd overseas), all chebbies, and anything smaller than a Ford Tarus shitcanned because I find them all to be a 'nuisance'. You are quite the sheeple. I do not agree with street racing, but I don't agree with government theft and destruction of property either.

He doesn't get it..Kaliforia...need we say more...

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:36:46 AM EDT

[#40]

Police target deadly races in Valley streets

By Jason Kandel
Staff Writer

VAN NUYS -- In the latest crackdown on street racing, police arrested 12 people during an illegal gathering early Wednesday and seized two souped-up Ford Mustangs, which they vowed to destroy.

The stepped-up effort came after the deaths Friday of two Valley Christian School seniors, both 17, in a street-racing crash in Sun Valley.

Acting on a tip, police from the Valley's auto-theft detail and traffic division, including some working undercover, descended on the 8000 block of Haskell Avenue just after midnight Wednesday and found 35 carloads of people lined up to watch and participate in races. Officers videotaped the event, then swooped in to make the arrests.

Along with two drivers, who were not immediately identified, police arrested the flagman and nine spectators, including five minors.

"This is a dangerous, dangerous activity," said Capt. Greg Meyer, who commands the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division. "It's dangerous for the people involved. It's dangerous for innocent bystanders.

"There's been a lot of fatalities, there's been a lot of major traffic collisions, and the public's tired of it," Meyer said. "The police and the Fire Department are tired of picking up the bodies, so we are cracking down on street racing."

The five minors were cited and released to their parents. The other spectators were issued $50 citations.

The drivers were booked into the Van Nuys Jail on suspicion of engaging in street racing, and the flagman was booked on suspicion of aiding or abetting. Bail was set at $10,000 each.

After the arrests, police seized the Mustangs under a new Los Angeles city code that allows destruction of "nuisance vehicles." If found guilty, the motorists face a minimum of 10 days in jail, a fine of $900, driver's license suspension and higher insurance rates.

"We're sending the message that if you street-race in L.A., it will not only cost you a couple hundred dollars for a speeding ticket, but it will cost you your car, and it will be destroyed," said Lt. Steve Allen of the Valley Traffic Division.

City Councilwoman Wendy Gruel, who sponsored the ordinance, lamented the fact that street-racing continues.

"You can die by drag racing. We're not going to give up on this until it stops."

Police said the Mustangs confiscated in Wednesday's raid had illegal racing slicks and nitrous-oxide fuel systems that can propel the cars up to 130 mph.

The City Attorney's Office staff has seized seven cars used in speed contests since the new law became effective, said office spokesman Frank Mateljan. Next Wednesday, police intend to destroy the first car, a Camaro, seized under the new law last year.

The raid came four days after Nicholas Roth and Christopher Oliver were killed and Michael Lee, also 17 and a senior at Valley Christian, was critically injured in a street race. Police said Roth and Lee were passengers and Lee was driving when he lost control of his Chevrolet Camaro, which veered into opposing traffic and crashed head-on into a pickup truck in the 9900 block of La Tuna Canyon Road in Sun Valley.

Lee, who underwent brain surgery at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, could face charges in the deaths of his friends and for the injuries, described as moderate, to the pickup truck driver.

Police were seeking the driver of another pickup truck -- a light-blue Ford F-150 -- who might have been racing Lee, but who fled after the crash.

Friends of the dead teens, both former football players, were expected to hold a memorial service Saturday before Village Christian's football game against Montclair Prep.

Just a month before the two deaths, Aram Aleksanyan, 19, of Van Nuys was fatally injured when he lost control of his speeding car, which slammed into a tree and ricocheted off two parked cars that burst into flames on Victory Boulevard near Friar Street in Woodland Hills.

Police said Aleksanyan was racing Louis Blaine Rodgers, 24, of Reseda, who was arrested and faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Traffic-related deaths in the Valley have jumped 17 percent, totaling 69 so far this year, compared with 59 in the same period last year.

If this activity is so dangerous, why did they allow it to take place while they video taped it.
Do the police in L.A. also video tape bank robberies while they are in progress?

Oh yeah, CALIFORNIA SUCKS ! ! !

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:54:59 AM EDT

[#41]

Just another obscure section of law that will rarely be used.

Cali has had a law on the books that allows the court to order the destruction of a car that is habitually driven by a suspended driver. The court even bills the R/O for the cost associated to the towing and crushing. The traffic commisioners rarely even consider it unless specifically requested by the arresting officer or DA at trial.

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:56:00 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:
Yep... dumbasses....

I can get to 135 pretty easily without nitrous.

I thought they were talking about hitting 135MPH in the 1/4 mile...

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:56:44 AM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
And we can thank this confiscation of property frame of mind to the "war on drugs"

You people realize it's only going to get worse as the years go by? In 50 years they'll be able to take whatever the hell they want for whatever the misdemeanor du jour is.

edit: HOLY CRAP it is a CITY CODE that allows them to confiscate the cars? I had NO IDEA that municipalities had that kind of authority, I thought it would at least take a state law (which would be inviolation of the constitution, but nevertheless, a state law) to confiscate property like that.. yeah it is going to get worse, folks.

One day it'll be "possession of a prohibited item (firearm, illegal drug, dangerous non-nanny vehicle, aggressive animal, edged weapon, pointy stick, non-blunt shovel, pick, any sledge, ball peen, claw, or other hammer with a head weight exceeding 4 ounces, sling shot, non-nerf baseball bat, golf club, bow and arrow, cross bow, rolling pin, steak knife, salad fork, fondue fork, unregistered butter knife, nail gun, screw gun, toy gun, paintball gun, glue gun, soldering iron, steam iron, chain saw, portable saw, router, or potentially lethal cutting tool) will result in the seizure of all private property to include vehicles, real estate, jewelry, securities, wages, bank accounts, pace makers, transplanted organs and corneas, minor children, pets and the forfeiture of all future respiratory privileges".

Let's all vote for horse face and speed things along! If the founding fathers could see what we've become they'd all shit blood.

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:58:09 AM EDT

[#44]

Destroying the car makes far more sense than selling it. Trying to get the title from the lienholders on those cars will never happen. Crush the car and the lienholder goes after the people who financed the vehicle and it is thier damn problem they were too stupid to not get their car destroyed.

Posted: 10/20/2004 10:59:23 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
illegal racing slicks? they might want to check if they are the DOT approved street slicks

San Diego PD is putting on training classes throughout southern Californias on identifying aftermarket /modified parts and determining if they are DOT/CARB approved. Locally, when the cops cite for those type of violations they document everything including photographing the modifications.

Posted: 10/20/2004 11:02:53 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
California had the same problem 50 years ago. They need to give these kids a place to race.

There are plenty of places to race, legally in Cali. Sometimes the CHP even runs one of their old 5.0 Mustangs and one of their newer Z28's at the track to publisize theat there are legal racing places in So Cal.

Posted: 10/20/2004 11:04:01 AM EDT

[#47]

nuisance? come again? An unsightly heap of shit in the neighborhood on blocks..that's a nuisance... a car that is louder than a dump truck, that's a nuisance...in those (and similar) cases, it is the car itself that constitutes a nuisance. A car used in a race, modified or no, does not necessarily constitute a nuisance in and of itself. Suggesting that it is the car that is the problem also tends to deflect blame from what ought to be the real focus, the criminal who is risking the lives of those around him.

I would agree, however, that a car used in an illegal street race is an instrumentality of crime. I can also understand seizure of those vehicles, though I would probably implement said seizure less readily than most and under more limited circumstances (which I have not yet fully considered).

That having been said, I think the thrust of the initial post was that destruction of these vehicles and a cost to the city is senseless when the city could otherwise auction these vehicles for cash income to the city. The city could, on a case by case basis, dispose of cars that are too badly damaged or otherwise unsafe for use upon a public way. To simply destroy every car seized because it was used in a street race, however, seems pretty inefficient.

Posted: 10/20/2004 11:06:16 AM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:
And we can thank this confiscation of property frame of mind to the "war on drugs"

Yep, look back at the Florida v. White case which sorta made all this possible.

As far as no race tracks in So-Cal, it is much better than when I was a kid. You have Palmdale, Irwindale, Fontana, and every so often, Pomona. I don't see any reason to be out street racing nowadays especially when two kids died street racing four days earlier.

Posted: 10/20/2004 11:06:55 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:
So, do these cars get destroyed before or after the driver is convicted of a crime? If it's before, aren't the owners being deprived of property without due process?

Good question. I'll attempt to answer it. There are other types of due process than criminal trials. For example, CVC 14602.1(a) allows/requires impounding a vehicle for 30-days if it is driven by an unlicensed or suspended driver. the R/O is sent a copy of the paperwork, which includes and explanation of the appeal process. If he chooses to fight the impound, he request a hearing with the hearing officer where a determination is made following the hearing. That's "due process."

Posted: 10/20/2004 11:08:52 AM EDT

[#50]

Quoted:
Destroying the car makes far more sense than selling it. Trying to get the title from the lienholders on those cars will never happen. Crush the car and the lienholder goes after the people who financed the vehicle and it is thier damn problem they were too stupid to not get their car destroyed.

You don't necessarily need to get the actual title... I don't know how CA works but the Sheriff can seize and sell anything here in IL lien free with a proper court order...apply for new title, voila... lienholder pursues debtor on their note.

eta: anyone wishing to understand the precise meaning of "due process" ought to read Mathews v Eldridge IM me and I will be happy to provide a copy

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Street race in Kalifornia and you will get your car DESTROYED (Page 1 of 3)

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