Illegal street racing sweep nets 42 arrests, including dad driving with 1-year-old
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Harris County District Attorney's Office said at least 42 people are now facing criminal charges after this weekend's crackdown on street racing.
The men will face many charges, including racing on a highway, evading arrest and reckless driving.
The arrest of 23-year-old Ramiro Cedillo stands out the most. Prosecutors told Eyewitness News that deputies caught Cedillo drag-racing in his Mustang with the specialty plate "DA JOKER" Saturday morning.
Investigators said when they stopped Cedillo, they found his one-year-old buckled into a car seat.
Sean Teare, the leader of HPD's Vehicular Crimes Divisions, said that he called the operation a "big success." He also stated that some of the arrests came from other states including Ohio.
"We were ready for them. Next year, I want them to understand we're going to be more ready. We're going to have more officers and prosecutors. We are going to stop this from happening," said Teare. "The prevention is the way we are going to go about this. They were disheartened by the police presence this time. They were unable to race because of the amount of police on the roadways. Eventually they are going to decide to take this race to another county. That's our goal. Get them out of Harris County. This is not a place for them. This is not going to be a place for them anytime soon."
According to Teare, the TX2K race at the Royal Purple Raceway contributes to the illegal street racing. The track released the following statement to Eyewitness News when asked for comment.
"Royal Purple Raceway and TX2K have always been committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment to racers and fans alike. TX2K is a track focused event that gives racers a chance to race one another at the most premier race track in the country. Neither the track nor the event condone street racing and plan to continue to offer a street car event in the most safe place possible, the race track."
RELATED: Deputies targeting street racers in Harris County
