By Kirsten Valle
The Charlotte Observer
PINEVILLE, N.C. — A bulldozer extended its arm over a Ford Mustang at Dellinger Wrecker Service on Tuesday, then crushed the car into a heap of shattered glass and warped metal.
An employee cringed and said, “This one’s gonna break my heart right here.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police ended a yearlong crackdown on illegal street racing this week, destroying six of the nearly 30 cars seized in the sting.
“We hope this sends a clear message that we’re not going to tolerate it in our community,” Capt. David Haggist said. “We’re going to arrest people and destroy their cars.”
Police started the investigation to curb drivers in souped-up cars racing around Mecklenburg County at speeds of 100 mph or higher.
More than a few times, racing cars nearly collided with city buses and motorists, once sending a tractor trailer skidding off the highway to avoid a wreck.
After four months of surveillance in an investigation dubbed “Enjoy the Show,” authorities cracked down.
In the Carolinas, 16 people were killed in race-related crashes from 1998 to 2003, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
And in May 2005, five people were injured in Gastonia when a street racer lost control of his car and crashed into a line of people outside a Dairy Queen.
The latest investigation was a joint effort of police, the district attorney, the N.C. Highway Patrol and the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles.
It started after residents and business owners complained of loud engines and racing after midnight near the Stonecrest at Piper Glen shopping center in south Charlotte.
In interviews with the Observer last fall, some of the car enthusiasts who gathered there said they were just comparing cars and meeting friends. Others admitted to racing.
Police found organized races across Mecklenburg and in nearby parts of South Carolina, involving up to 200 spectators and 100 racers who ranged in age from their teens to mid-30s.
Most races were at business parks, but some happened along Interstate 485, Haggist said.
Police clocked one highway driver at 126 mph, he said. When officers stopped him, they found he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.14, nearly twice the legal limit.
Other motorists drank underage or possessed stolen car parts or illegal weapons, Haggist said.
The activities resulted in several close calls, but no injuries during the investigation, he said.
Since the crackdown began, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have helped other law-enforcement agencies with similar operations and have developed a training program for investigators with the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Police haven’t gotten many more complaints of street racing, but they’re encouraging residents and business owners to remain vigilant, Haggist said.
“We can’t do it by ourselves,” he said. “We learned it takes a combined effort, and we’re really pleased with the way the community stepped up and helped police. It’s a good example of what we can do when we work together.”
OPERATION’S RESULTS
After an investigation dubbed “Enjoy the Show,” authorities:
• Seized 29 vehicles, including two worth more than $50,000 each.
• Served 91 arrest warrants to 36 defendants, who face license suspensions and other penalties.
• Of those, 31 pled guilty.
• Two cases were dismissed, and three are still pending.
• Authorities returned six of the cars to their owners, who were unaware that their cars were being raced, and six to the lien holders, who promised not to give them to the defendants.
• Two cars were auctioned, and 15 were surrendered to police.
Copyright 2007 The Charlotte Observer