Published on Thursday, May 5, 2005
in the Bradenton Herald

Street racers could lose cars under bill sent to Gov. Bush

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Speed-thirsty drivers who race on public streets could lose their souped-up cars and spend up to a year in jail under a measure before the governor.

Lawmakers hope the threat of losing a car will help curb the dangerous sport.

"They put a lot of money into their vehicles," Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Ernesto Duarte said of the racers. "It's not atypical to see vehicles with accessories of $5,000, $8,000 or $10,000 in addition to the value of the car."

The bill, approved by the Legislature this week, would give police the authority to permanently confiscate the prized vehicles if their owners commit repeat offenses within a five-year period.

"The message will get out. Once an incident happens where a car gets confiscated, that will definitely start spreading across drag racing circles," said the measure's House sponsor Rep. John Quinones, R-Kissimmee, adding he expects Gov. Jeb Bush will sign the bill.

Bush has yet to thoroughly review the measure, one of his spokesmen said Wednesday.

Racing side-by-side or speeding alone around a set course would also become a first-degree misdemeanor. Offenders could be punished by a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, up from 60 days in jail with a $500 fine.

Drag racing has been a rising problem in the state, said Duarte. He noted a 2001 crash in which a 22-year-old Lake County man accidentally hit and killed his own mother and her elderly passenger while racing.

Once the domain of thrill-seeking youngsters, the high-risk sport has developed criminal connections and a wider audience, he said.

"It's not just fun anymore," Duarte said. "They'll race for titles of their vehicles. They'll race for drugs. They'll race for weapons."

The highway patrol has used plainclothes officers to stage sting operations at illegal racing sites, arresting spectators and drivers.

An earlier version of the bill would have made repeat offenses a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, but that met resistance by other legislators. Still, the most significant provision is that for car seizures, Quinones said.

"Their car is their most precious possession," he said. "If you hit them where it hurts, that will deter other individuals from engaging in drag racing."