New ordinance would penalize people at Salinas street races

UPDATE (7/2/19): The Salinas City Council passed the street racing ordinance 7-0, Tuesday. It will be enforceable in 30 days.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

The California Highway Patrol stopped dozens of street racers Friday night in Salinas and handed out multiple tickets.

According to the CHP, there were at least 40 cars and 100 people on Iverson Street. Officers gave out warnings to racers and spectators. Officers also issued seven tickets and four cars were impounded.

No one was arrested.

Councilman Scott Davis told KION an ordinance is in the works to make it illegal to even be a spectator at a street race. Then speaking with us on Monday, Mayor Joe Gunter says this ordinance would also come with higher penalties for drivers, and new rules about car gathering events that take over private parking lots.

“All of the people that are involved (will be penalized). This includes people that are watching (and) lookouts. This is really inclusive of all the folks, and it gives our officers another tool in their toolbox,” Gunter said.

These penalties are already in place in state law, but not Salinas’ city laws.

Many comments on our KION Facebook page criticize the idea, saying what needs to happen is the addition of designated areas where people can go race.

But Gunter says many of these racers are not locals. CHP citations, he says, show that people are coming in from outside Monterey County – from cities where tough street racing laws are already in place.

“Other cities in the Bay Area are enforcing it, and for some reason they (the racers) don’t believe we are going to take action. So, they figure ‘this is wide open country. Let’s come to Salinas.’ Well, surprise, it’s not,” Gunter said.

There has also been an impact on city streets. Gunter adds that street racing has cost Salinas money, by needing funds to replace damaged pavement and striping.

The council is expected to discuss the finalized ordinance in the next two to three weeks.