Street Racing

Cracking down on illegal street racing in the San Fernando Valley, the Los Angeles City Council decided Wednesday to punish spectators with harsh fines and possible jail time. The council also ordered a new law to be drafted that would allow authorities to permanently confiscate any vehicle used in a street race. "This is a long-standing problem.

A 5-year-old girl was critically injured during a possible street-racing accident in Riverside, police said. The girl was sitting in a booster seat behind her father, who was driving a 2009 Chevy Malibu on Monday when it was broadsided by a 2008 Ford Mustang that police said was possibly racing another vehicle. The girl was rushed to Loma Linda University Hospital with critical injuries, officials said. Her father was uninjured. Police said the crash happened just before 2 p.m. when the Malibu began turning right onto northbound Magnolia Avenue after stopping at a stop sign.

In a crackdown on street racing, police cited 180 people Saturday and impounded eight cars. About 50 officers from the California Highway Patrol, Tracy Police Department and San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office participated in the operation, part of a countywide crackdown on illegal races.

Ryan Hunter-Reay was born in Texas and now lives in Florida, but the reigning IndyCar champion traces many key moments of his life - the highs and the lows - to Southern California. Hunter-Reay lived in Dana Point when his IndyCar career was teetering in the mid- to late-2000s. Then a comeback win in Long Beach in 2010 finally secured him a ride with a top team. That led to his capturing his first IndyCar title at a dramatic season finale in Fontana last September, making Hunter-Reay the series' first American champion in six years.

Police arrested 187 people gathered at an illegal street racing site in an industrial area near Ontario International Airport early Sunday, authorities said. Among those arrested were two drivers and a "flagger," who signals the start of the race, police said. They were booked on misdemeanor charges, given citations and released, said Sgt. David McBride of the Ontario Police Department. Authorities also picked up 184 spectators who were lining the streets to watch the race. They were given citations for watching the illegal activity.

People who watch illegal street races could be slapped with a $500 fine under a motion approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. "Illegal street racing is a dangerous, reckless activity that threatens the lives of our young people. This ordinance will decrease the number of spectators at these events and help reduce street racing overall," said county Supervisor Mike Antonovich. Violation of the ordinance will constitute a misdemeanor.

A 16-year-old driver and his 19-year-old male passenger were killed Wednesday when their Honda compact car lost control in what the California Highway Patrol is investigating as an illegal street-racing crash. The crash occurred at 10:50 a.m. on Riverview Road north of 42nd Street, a CHP investigator said. Witnesses reported seeing the Honda and a Ford Mustang racing at speeds of 90 to 100 mph. The Honda lost control and skidded off the roadway.

Kern County police agencies banding together to halt the spread of street racing cited more than 50 people in a weekend raid, authorities said. Some 47 officers converged on Bena Road and wrote 53 tickets for misdemeanor unlawful assembly. California Highway Patrol Sgt. Travis Mitchell said the charge is punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $1,000. All who were cited were from the greater Bakersfield area, he said.

Two drivers who may have been racing on Ocean Boulevard lost control and plowed into vehicles early Tuesday, injuring at least 10 people, authorities said. Their two Honda Civics were speeding near Orizaba Avenue shortly after 1 a.m. when they veered off the street, officials said. One hit a parked car, and that car struck two other vehicles, Long Beach Police Sgt. David Cannan said. The drivers, both 22, were among the injured.

A 19-year-old Pico Rivera man was killed Saturday after being struck by a car that police said was involved in a race on Imperial Highway. Police were withholding the victim's identity pending notification of his family. He was hit in a crosswalk at the intersection with Brookshire Avenue. A friend who was with him suffered a broken leg. Police said Adam Gutierrez, 26, of Downey, was racing his 2005 Subaru Impreza against a black Honda Civic when he lost control.

Ryan Hunter-Reay opens his defense of the IndyCar championship Sunday with the series season opener in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Honda Grand Prix on a 1.8-mile street course in St. Petersburg is the first of 19 races on the Izod IndyCar Series calendar. The series then moves to the Barber Motorsports Park road course in Birmingham, Ala., on April 7, followed by the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach that's held on the city's seaside streets April 21. Hunter-Reay, who drives for the Andretti Autosport team, won the series title in dramatic fashion in Southern California in September at the season finale at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.

"Fast Five" ran over the competition at the box office this past weekend, shifting movie ticket sales into high gear for the first time this year. The first big-budget studio tent-pole film of the summer season grossed $83.6 million, according to an estimate from distributor Universal Pictures. That marks the biggest opening of the year, speeding past the $39.2-million debut of 20th Century Fox's "Rio" last month. "Fast Five," the fifth installment of the popular street-racing franchise, lapped the other two new films that debuted in wide release.

Journeyman professional golfer Arjun Atwal became the first qualifier in 24 years to win a PGA Tour event on Sunday, shooting a three-under-par 67 to secure a one-shot victory at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C. Atwal, who also became the first India-born player to win on the Tour, finished with a 20-under 260 to earn a total of $918,000, more than double his earnings this year. The 38-year-old had to qualify for the tournament on Monday because he had lost his Tour card because of a lack of earnings, becoming the first qualifier to win since Fred Wadsworth won at the 1986 Southern Open.

He was a former lawman who called himself "Mask" and advocated a hold-nothing-back lifestyle that helped transform mixed martial arts fighting into a craze and turned his own fighting apparel company into a multimillion-dollar business.

Police arrested 187 people gathered at an illegal street racing site in an industrial area near Ontario International Airport early Sunday, authorities said. Among those arrested were two drivers and a "flagger," who signals the start of the race, police said. They were booked on misdemeanor charges, given citations and released, said Sgt. David McBride of the Ontario Police Department. Authorities also picked up 184 spectators who were lining the streets to watch the race. They were given citations for watching the illegal activity.

Two men were racing on an isolated rural highway in Prince George's County in February when one plowed into a crowd gathered to watch another illegal race, killing eight people, prosecutors said. Darren Bullock, 20, and Tavon Taylor, 18, were charged with eight counts of vehicular manslaughter, as well as reckless driving and street racing. If convicted, they face up to 10 years in prison on each manslaughter count and fines for the other charges.

The city has tentatively agreed to become the latest jurisdiction in San Diego County to outlaw watching illegal street races. The City Council voted Wednesday to make it a misdemeanor to watch cars race on Escondido streets. Spectators would face a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and a year in jail. The council is scheduled to take a second and final vote on the proposal in 30 days, after which it would become law.

An illegal drag race in Maryland turned deadly early Saturday when a car plowed into onlookers gathered on a darkened highway about 20 miles south of the nation's capital, killing eight people and injuring at least five others. Prince George's County police were investigating the accident in Accokeek, which left bodies scattered along the highway. Officials said Saturday that the accident occurred about 3 a.m. on a stretch of Route 210 that is popular with street racers.

An Ontario law meant to crack down on young Canadian street racers has nabbed an octogenarian in his Oldsmobile. The 85-year-old man is one of 2,300 drivers to be charged under legislation to combat "street racing, stunts and contests" since it took effect three months ago. The man was pulled over after allegedly driving 100 mph in a 62-mph zone, Ontario police said. People are charged if driving 31 mph more than the limit. "It really doesn't matter the age of the person or whether they're trying to race another car," Sgt. Cam Woolley said.