LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Street racing in the Las Vegas Valley is a dangerous and deadly problem.
FOX5 has reported on several deaths so far this year, and the racing is not just happening on main streets.
Concerned residents told us otherwise quiet neighborhoods in Summerlin near Red Rock Canyon are filled with motorcycles and fast cars racing down the streets in the developed and undeveloped parts of town. And it even led to one neighbor selling his home because of it.
Frustrated residnets tell FOX5 it’s happening on Redpoint Drive, backing up to Red Rock Canyon, as well as along Sky Vista near Far Hills and the 215.
One anonymous resident says the racers show a, “total lack of respect for the people that live in that area and their families.”
They say it’s happening about a mile away from Metro P.D.’s Summerlin Area Command post. Police know the racers are out there but not because phones are ringing off the hook.
Captain Greg Phenis says, “To date, we’ve only had five calls about street racing.” Captain Phenis hopes to change that, especially after several concerned neighbors reached out to FOX5, saying it can be a nightly problem.
It even led to one neighbor in the developed part of the community to make a drastic, and permanent move, according to the same anonymous resident. “He had to sell his house for fear of safety for his family. They would start doing burnouts and donuts right behind his house,” she said. “He was in fear that they were going to crash right through his wall into his house.”
Captain Phenis says it didn’t have to come to that. He wishes people would pick up the phone and give them a call instead of posting about it online.
“If nobody calls us and they’re just doing the Nextdoor app, we may not see that until the next day or we hear that through the grapevine, but we would love to have the calls come in right away,” Captain Phenis said.
Despite a lack of official calls, Captain Phenis says his officers have gone on just shy of 200 self-initiated patrols to crack down on racing and reckless driving in the area, leading to 84 car stops and 28 citations.
Police say if you see reckless driving in your area, contact them, so they can stop it in its tracks.
Penalties for reckless driving include fines of up to $2,000 and jail time, depending on the offense.
Police also encourage the public to come into their various command stations on the first Tuesday of every month to discuss any issues within their communities.
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