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31 face charges in investigation of road racing
It was from High Point to Forsyth on 311
Journal Graphic by Jeremy Boyd
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Published: November 23, 2008
Updated: 11/23/2008 12:15 am
HIGH POINT - The N.C. Highway Patrol planned to arrest more than 30 people last night after an undercover investigation into racing on Main Street in High Point and on U.S. 311 into Forsyth County.
Magistrates in Guilford and Forsyth counties have issued 76 warrants for 31 people who will be charged with 141 offenses that include spontaneous speed competition, prearranged speed competition and reckless and careless driving, authorities said.
After the arrests are made, the highway patrol had plans to seize 32 vehicles it says have been involved in the racing. The highway patrol calls its investigation Operation Drift, which is a street name for a kind of racing. Drift also stands for Don't Race In front of Troopers, said Sgt. Rodney Robles of the highway patrol.
The charges follow a three-week operation in which undercover officers with the highway patrol and N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Division infiltrated a group of racers who gathered in High Point on Friday and Saturday evenings to race their cars, said Lt. Keith Stone of the highway patrol.
The officers went to drag strips and parties with the racers and also watched them race. The officers have video recordings of the races and audio conversations with the racers, they said. The racers often would send text messages on their cell phones to arrange the races.
Stone said he could not believe that blatant racing had occurred and the "total disregard" that the racers had for the safety of drivers on Main Street in High Point and on U.S. 311.
The arrests followed 18 scheduled races that took place Friday on U.S. 311, Stone said. More warrants will be issued for some drivers who participated in those races.
The racers, whose ages range from 17 to 43, would stop traffic on U.S. 311 before starting the race. They would then race at speeds up to 150 mph on the 14-mile stretch through Forsyth into Winston-Salem, Stone said.
An undercover officer said he saw racing on Main Street where the drivers would ignore traffic lights and drive between 80 to 90 mph during their races. The racing mostly occurred on Fridays and Saturdays between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. Stone said that people from eight to 10 counties would gather in parking lots off Main Street to arrange for the races.
"It is so bad here," Stone said. "We want to shut it down fast."
If they are convicted, the racers' punishment would include losing their driver licenses for three years and forfeiting their cars to authorities. Stone and two undercover officers said that no fatalities or injuries have resulted from the racing during their investigation. They also have no reports of car wrecks among the racing drivers.
Stone said he was concerned that a racing car would blow out a tire on U.S. 311, cross the median and hit a passenger car. The vehicles involved in the racing include a sport-utility vehicle, six Ford Mustangs, a BMW, a Pontiac Firebird, Chevrolet Camaros and a pickup, Robles said.
The racers would soup up their vehicles' engines to increase their power and capacity for speed, Stone said. They often use slick racing tires on their cars. Some racers have invested thousands to soup up their cars.
Stone said that acquaintances ride in vehicles either in front or behind the racers, and some have radar detectors. They sometimes check Main Street and U.S. 311 to see if any law-enforcement officers are nearby.
If the racers or bystanders saw "something suspicious, they would ease back into town," he said.
The bystanders could be charged with disorderly conduct for attending an unlawful event, but Stone said that the highway patrol doesn't have the resources to pursue charges against them.
An undercover agent said that illegal racing has occurred in High Point for 30 years. Many participants have been influenced by such movies as Fast and Furious. Some racers are unemployed, and others work in auto-parts stores.
"They have no life except for their cars," the officer said.
Robles, who lives in Kernersville, said he suggested that the highway patrol begin its investigation two months ago, when some racers "about ran me over."
■ John Hinton can be reached at 727-7299 or at jhinton@wsjournal.com.
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