San Antonio police are cracking down on street racing, which in recent weeks has led to dozens of arrests and ticketing, according to published reports.
Police arrested 24 people and towed a dozen vehicles across the city on October 27 in response to reports of “individuals blocking intersections, doing donuts, throwing rocks and bottles at police vehicles, along with damaging property,” the San Antonio Police Department’s Facebook page says.
Street racing is dangerous and those drivers who take part in street races endanger everyone on the roads of San Antonio. They should be held accountable.
In June, two people were killed and at least five injured in a crash blamed on street racing in the 8100 block of McCullough Avenue on San Antonio’s North Side.
In July, two vehicles believed to have been street racing crashed into two utility poles, two parked vehicles and a house on Ferndale Street and Division Avenue on the Southwest Side, according to News 4 San Antonio.
The October 27 arrests in the 600 block of West Theo on the city’s South Side came a night after police responded to the parking lot of the Bexar County Academy on the Northwest Side, where they found more than 100 cars gathered, KSAT says. That group was allegedly racing and spinning in the parking lot. At least eight people were arrested there and at another site.
Street Racing in San Antonio
Street racing is a public nuisance popular in Texas cities such as Dallas, Houston, Austin and Lubbock, as well as in other large cities, like Los Angeles and New York.
Street racing is typically defined as illegal drag races between two vehicles on stretches of public road. Groups that have recently gathered in San Antonio appear to be spending less time drag racing and more time blocking roads, spinning in circles (“doing donuts”) and drifting, an oversteering technique in which drivers force their cars to slide sideways as they turn.
Drifting has been made popular by the “Fast and Furious” movie franchise and 2006’s “Tokyo Drift.” Street racing drag races in popular culture date to at least “Rebel Without a Cause,” the 1954 James Dean classic.
Street racing in its most recent form has been a recurring problem in San Antonio since at least 2012, according to a KENS 5 report.
Texas law makes racing on public highways illegal.
This includes participating in:
- a race
- a vehicle speed competition or contest
- a drag race or acceleration contest
- a test of physical endurance of the operator of a vehicle (i.e., long-distance or marathon competitions)
- an exhibition of vehicle speed or acceleration or attempt to set a vehicle speed record in connection with a drag race.
Racing is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,000, plus a driver’s license suspension for up to one year. If a racer is intoxicated or has an open container of alcohol, it is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $4,000 or both, and suspension of the driver’s license.
Causing bodily injury while street racing is a 3rd degree felony punishable upon conviction by 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Causing serious bodily injury or death while racing illegally is a 2nd degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
A street racer may also be charged with speeding and/or reckless driving, as well as with evading a police officer if the driver attempts to flee.
“Our Officers will continue to be proactive and respond to these incidents. We will not tolerate this behavior in our City!” the SAPD says in its October Facebook post.
Common Injuries from Street Racing Accidents
Our San Antonio car accident attorneys at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. are familiar with the types of serious injuries seen in street racing accidents.
Drivers and passengers involved in the race, as well as other innocent drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists face such injuries as:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Broken bones (fractures)
- Back and spinal cord injuries, potentially including paralysis.
- Internal organ injuries
- Amputations (traumatic or surgical)
- Burns
These types of injuries require emergency medical care and often hospitalization, which may include surgery and rehabilitation. In addition to medical expenses, people who suffer serious personal injuries lose income while out of work and may be unable to return to their previous jobs or any type of employment due to disabling injuries. If the injuries were caused by another driver’s disregard for safety, the accident victim may have a right to seek compensation for medical bills, lost income and other expenses.
Contact a San Antonio Car Accident Attorney
The losses suffered by innocent people injured in street racing accidents may be recovered through legal claims against the individuals responsible for the crash. This includes money for medical bills, lost income, property damage and for pain and suffering. Because a defendant was engaged in illegal street racing at the time of the accident, additional compensation awarded as punitive damages might also be available in a court case.
The car accident attorneys of Herrman & Herrman in San Antonio would like to meet with you if you or a loved one of yours has been injured in a car accident caused by street racing, or other reckless driving by someone else. We have English- and Spanish-speaking staff at our offices in San Antonio and elsewhere in south Texas ready to assist you and evaluate whether you have a valid street racing accident lawsuit.
Contact Herrman & Herrman today at (361) 882-4357 or fill out our online contact form to set up a free, no obligation initial legal consultation. We do not charge for our legal services unless we recover money for you. If you have suffered a preventable injury or death in the family, we can provide you with a clear understanding of your legal rights. If you deserve to be compensated for your losses, we will aggressively pursue the maximum settlement available. Call us now.
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