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SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Police Department and Utah Highway Patrol joined forces over the weekend to crackdown on illegal street racing in the city.
From Friday through early Saturday morning, 14 people were arrested and 15 vehicles seized during the operation. Most of the arrests were for investigation of engaging in a speed contest or exhibition driving, failing to stop at the command of police, DUI, reckless driving, drug possession, no having car insurance and at least one person was arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash.
According to Salt Lake police, law enforcers, including some working undercover, "saturated" the area near 1100 South between 4800 West and 5500 West.
Most of the individuals were in their 20s but the ages range from 20 to 45, police said.
A police booking affidavit states that on Friday at 11:44 p.m., officers entered the area around 4800 West and 1100 South, and shut down the road, blocking off the road with their patrol vehicles.
At that point, a Subaru pulled out of a parking lot and struck another vehicle, police said. "The driver drove around pedestrians and the police closure, swerving around almost hitting officers outside their vehicles," the affidavit states. The driver then drove onto the shoulder to avoid hitting police vehicles head-on, lost control of his car and hit a concrete business sign.
According to the statement from police, "Illegal street racing events in Salt Lake City have previously drawn hundreds of people and have resulted in numerous criminal activities to include, but not limited to, reckless driving, illegal weapon possession, illegal gambling and aggravated assaults."
The city's industrial area on the west side, with its wide streets, has long been a trouble area for police and street racing.
"In 2020, the Salt Lake City Police Department saw a dramatic increase in calls for service for illegal street racing. Calls for service rose from 71 in 2019 to 409 in 2020. That is a 476% increase in just one year," police stated.
