Street racers’ souped-up cars crushed

AP via MSNBC ^ | 6/20/2007

[Ready4Freddy]

Nick Ut / AP

Manuel Hernandez reacts after his car
and other impounded vehicles were crushed
at Ecology Auto Parts in Rialto, Calif., on Wednesday.

Southern California authorities crack down on illegal hot rods, street racing

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 need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed.

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

[DakotaRed]

“or suspected” justifies confiscation and destruction of personal property now?

[DakotaRed]

Reading many of these comments, I wonder just where have the conservatives gone?

[DakotaRed]

Again I ask, if this is the case, why weren’t the owners in jail instead of watching cars being crushed, that could have either been auctioned off or returned to rightful owners?

I see this act as another beginning of a slippery slope granting government even more control over us than they already have.

[185JHP]

Han Solo’s ‘55 also appeared in “Twolane Blacktop.” 10 second car...

[Orange1998]

I agree with you. Posters around here are bring up constitutional rights (which I bet never read the constitution). Citizens have no right to put other peoples life in danger, citizens don't have the right to receive or possess stolen property. It just blows my mind people are defending illegal behavior.

Holding a drivers license or a concealed handgun license is a privilege. If you risk other peoples life in a egregious manner ie: drag racing down a busy street, firing a handgun into a crowd, the license can and will be revoked. We share this world with others and it needs to be shared responsibly. If a kid (yes we are talking kids) has a toy that get them in trouble the parents take the toy away. I am sure minds would change if their child or love one was killed in a irresponsible manner. It a shame it has to go to that extent for them to wake up.

[OKIEDOC]

I don’t disagree on the slippery slope.

However, the police can already take your automobile for any number of reasons under the RICO Act.

Our local law enforcement personnel needed updated patrol cars, guess what they just went out made some arrests and boom before long had new cars to drive.

I don’t like it as I see it as a way for the government to steal from those they are hired to protect and serve.

[dragnet2]

Kiss your property rights goodbye if you approve of this.

I don't think you understand. Same thing if you wave a gun around on the freeway, and start shooting indiscriminately. Innocent people die.

They arrest the perp, take the gun and destroy it.

A vehicle is a deadly weapon.

When you're passed by one moving at 125 mph, 2 feet from your lane, you never saw it coming. One wrong tiny move, and your dead.

They can't resell these vehicle because they are totally modified.

[dragnet2]

Again I ask, if this is the case, why weren’t the owners in jail instead of watching cars being crushed, that could have either been auctioned off or returned to rightful owners?

I'll tell you. You can be arrested for reckless driving and or street racing. Read the article. No doubt these people were arrested and jailed.

>>>Nearly 1,000 people — drivers and spectators — have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities<<<

[LexBaird]

Were stolen parts returned to owners? Why weren’t the kids who owned the vehicles in jail, instead of watching them being crushed?

Who knows? The article doesn't say. Out on bail? Fined and released? Out on parole?

[Rb ver. 2.0]

And they’re still making payments on them. Hahahahaha!

[Lurking in Kansas]

Reading many of these comments, I wonder just where have the conservatives gone?

Ditto.

Some of these so-called conservatives here need to read the Constitution and Bill of Rights some time. Specifically amendment 6.

[longtree]

Yes, unfortunately, IRS.

Catbacks/cold air, SVT Chip & pullied Supercharger.

Ya, the Fox bodies are reasonable to buy & cheap to mod (comparatively). There are quite a number of them around NJ.

Another popular car here for the young ‘uns to buy & mod are Camaros & Trans Ams.... A camed/heads LS1 is no joke.

[paul51]

I wish they would start crushing the cars of those jackasses that drive around with the audio and brain emulsifying bass on full throttle.

[longtree]

BTW, nice car.

If I had the $’s I’d have an SL 65 AMG...

Those beasts will get into the 10s straight from the dealer showroom.

[Lx]

Is there a design problem with the IRS or does it just make it harder to hook up in a straight line (1/4 mile)?

The engines (gen III small block I believe?) in the last model F bodies were great but they are enormous cars. I’ve always been partial to Fords and I like the compact Mustang. Hell, they’ve got stroker 351 Windsors up to 427CID although I’ve always wanted to build up a Cleveland engine using the Australian 2 barrel heads (more bottom end).

I bet with that huffer going, that thing gets up and scoots.

[DJ MacWoW]

So charge them with receiving stolen goods and, when you get a conviction, confiscate their cars as proceeds of crime,

Where does it say that WASN'T what they did?

[DJ MacWoW]

I doubt the police snatched the car off the street and impounded it while it was traveling at 60mph+...

From the article: Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car,

It doesn't say how fast he was going.

[DJ MacWoW]

“or suspected” justifies confiscation and destruction of personal property now?

How about the modifications were illegal too, not just the stolen parts.

From the article: Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified.

[Dinsdale]

There is no law against doing anything you want to any car you own (short of melting it down and making it into a machine gun, even there it's questionable unless you sell it.)

You just aren't supposed to street them.

[DJ MacWoW]

I quoted the article. The 3 cars mentioned were all stopped on a street.

From the article:

Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car

Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December.

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.