Hennepin County Attorney's Office Announces Crackdown on Street Racing

Nine individuals have been charged with nearly twenty felonies related to street racing, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Tuesday.

"Street racing poses significant danger to the public. This activity has also resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in damage to public and private property," Freeman stated. "The conduct is incredibly risky for no reason. The time has come for this reckless and audacious lawlessness to end."

The nine defendants face charges of Riot in the Second Degree, Criminal Damage to Property in the First and Fourth Degree, Child Endangerment, and Reckless Driving. Numerous other cases remain under investigation, and additional charges are expected.

Street racing has led to the complete shutdown of high-traffic intersections throughout Minneapolis and nearby suburbs, including downtown Minneapolis. Drivers will block off intersections and then spin their cars at high speeds. Passengers will sometimes hang out of windows while spinning, and one incident involved a 13-year-old hanging out of a window. Others will shoot guns or fireworks out of their cars during these intersection take-overs.

"We will fully prosecute all of these cases. I will also ensure that we pursue all avenues to stop this unlawful activity, including the use of civil asset forfeiture where appropriate to seize the vehicles used in the commission of these offenses," Freeman continued. "We are advising law enforcement to seize these vehicles. Whether they are spinning out of control in an intersection or blocking the area from traffic and law enforcement, these vehicles may be permanently seized."

"I want to thank our prosecution team and law enforcement partners for working together to stop this behavior. From our local police departments to the Minnesota State Patrol, we will not tolerate this dangerous activity that puts everyone at risk."