Salinas PD tackles illegal street racing

Street racing is something that happens all over the world, and in Salinas, residents say they hear racers way too often.

“It’s been going on for quite a few years. I’ve been living up here for 25 years,” said Richard Rodriguez, a Salinas resident who lives in the Creekbridge area.

“What I hear is just the cars running by at night. Usually, it’s these really loud engines just roll pass by probably about Davis or Laurel, maybe Main Street,” said Mario Chuca, another Salinas resident.

One Creekbridge resident emailed KION saying dozens of cars pull into the Safeway parking lot revving their engines loudly every Friday and Sunday night. And shoppers there say much of the same thing: four-wheelers, trucks and little hot cars like Subarus and Hondas with special racing modifications all arrive.

“They all line up. And come around midnight, one o’clock, you’ll start hearing all the tires starting to spin. They’ll start doing circles around here,” said Rodriguez.

Salinas Police announced late Friday afternoon on Twitter they will have extra officers working street racing enforcement. They say speeding, racing and exhibition of speed is dangerous to the community.

During one operation in January, the California Highway Patrol pulled over dozens of street racers in Salinas, handing out multiple tickets. There were at least 40 cars and 100 people at the location. Four cars were impounded.

Residents here understand police have a tough job to do.

“Every now and then, you’ll hear a cop car going by, but usually everybody’s already scattered and left,” said Rodriguez.

“There’s only so many police officers, they can only patrol the streets so much,” said Chuca.

If you see street racing going on in your neighborhood, you are encourage to call Salinas Police at 831-758-7321.