Police use drone to catch teen driver doing donuts in California

By Esteban Reynoso

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TRACY, California (KMAX, KOVR) — Cars doing donuts in a Tracy neighborhood intersection forced homeowners to go to the police.

One driver was arrested for reckless driving, and their car was impounded. That driver was arrested nearly two weeks ago after doing donuts on Crossroads and Greystone Drives.

But neighbors said it’s a bigger issue than just one person. Various tire markings remain at the intersection, with neighbors saying it’s multiple cars doing the same thing.

“I’ve got a little one that sleeps right here on this busy street,” said Amaen Singh.

Singh lives close to the intersection and is fed up. He said he hears and sees the reckless driving all the time.

“This has been going on ever since I’ve moved out here,” he said. “Every single day, multiple times a day.”

Drone video taken the morning of Nov. 21 shows a 19-year-old driving a black Cadillac doing donuts, Tracy police said.

“Residents in that area had been calling in,” said Kaylin Heefner, Public Information Officer with Tracy PD.

For at least three days in a row, neighbors kept calling police and giving a description of the same black Cadillac doing donuts at the same intersection.

“They continued to occur around the same time every morning,” she said.

The driver returned one morning, but unknown to him, he was being watched this time. A police drone captured his every move.

“We use our drones frequently. We’ve used them in the past with reckless driving,” said Heefner.

Singh said he’s already noticed it’s quieter since the arrest, but he believes there are more reckless drivers out there.

“It’s not just the one guy they bring up, it’s not just one guy,” Singh told CBS 13. “That was just part of the situation maybe just five percent of it, but there’s a whole bunch of guys that come out here daily.”

He thinks the city can solve the issue.

“Speed stoppers, or whatever, a little bump, because they are so comfortable coming here,” Singh said. “And they’re just doing donuts man, like sideshows.”

Police encouraged neighbors to call in any time they see or hear anyone trying to add new markings to the intersection.

“The community contacting our non-emergency lines and letting us know this is occurring,” said Heefner, attesting to what started this crackdown.

That driver was charged with reckless driving, and their car was impounded for at least 30 days.

Police said getting the car back after that month could cost north of $3,000, possibly even $4,000.