'Staggering' rise in street racing prompts law enforcement to speak out

Jun. 10—As representatives from several law enforcement agencies spoke Friday at Bakersfield Police Department headquarters about the dangers of illegal street racing and "sideshows," Mayor Karen Goh related a personal story.

Sharing her experience from a Feb. 15 vigil for a teen killed in a crash that law enforcement officials have linked to street racing, Goh spoke about the tragedy's impact on the victim's family and the community.

"I stood at Challenger Park with family and friends of Bianca Flores ... a 19-year-old who had been taken too soon by street racing," Goh said. "We were there because of a reckless and senseless act. Bakersfield is a great community in which to live and in which to raise a family. We want to keep it that way."

Part of the greater tragedy that Goh was speaking to was the fact that law enforcement officials don't believe Flores wanted to have anything to do with a street race on Feb. 2, the night the Arvin woman's car was hit head-on near the intersection of Panama Lane and Akers Road, killing her instantly.

But the number of people who are impacted by unsafe and illicit activity on the roads is rising at a dramatic rate in Kern and throughout California, according to officials.

Law enforcement, including California Highway Patrol, the Kern County Sheriff's Office and the BPD have seen an exponential increase in this type of activity, especially since 2020, which BPD Chief Greg Terry referred to as a "wild card" year for illegal activity.

CHP Central Division Chief Ceto Ortiz noted Friday his agency has seen a "staggering" increase in this type of activity statewide in the last few years, from 3,500 calls in 2019 to 29,000 calls in 2021.

"We saw (street racing) really skyrocket in 2020," Terry said. "We know how terrifying and frightening it is to get caught up in the middle of an intersection, where you are surrounded by individuals who are engaged in this type of activity. We've had innocent victims in our community assaulted, robbed and various other types of offenses occurring just by virtue of them being there."

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer has charged Iqbal Singh, the driver suspected of crashing into Flores, with second-degree murder, in addition to other charges. Singh has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and is expected back in court July 6, according to Kern Superior Court records online.

Terry and others also mentioned the most recent headline-grabbing incident with respect to sideshows, a "takeover event" in May that saw more than 300 vehicles overwhelm local patrols at several intersections. In addition to deadly racing activity, there were also numerous assaults and instances of vandalism, Terry said.

Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, noted that in addition to the legislation he authored, Assembly Bill 3 — which was signed into law Oct. 7, and, starting in 2025, allows the courts to suspend the driver's license of anyone caught in an exhibition of speed or an associated sideshow for three to six months — he also fought for $5.5 million to help agencies police this type of activity.

The majority of those funds will be used to support task forces that can crack down on racing activity, he said, with a half-million dollars being used for an education component for young drivers.

Sheriff Donny Youngblood noted the money will help, but vigilance from the public is another component law enforcement agencies need to solve the problem. This is in addition to more deputies and officers, which is a challenge local law enforcement agencies are working to overcome.

"It doesn't give us more people to do this," Youngblood said of the funding, "but it allows us to pay our current officers overtime for working on these types of events."

Youngblood also said he would like to see people who engage in such illegal behavior behind the wheel lose their car for good.

However, Friday's gathering was meant to not only highlight the latest efforts to fight street racing. It was also another attempt to raise the alarm and ask for the community's help.

While representatives from the BPD, CHP and KCSO said the agencies were working in concert to address street racing, Youngblood cited one crucial missing component.

"Sacramento has got to step up as a partner and understand that by not holding them accountable, this problem is going to get worse," he said.

Fong acknowledged that more needs to be done in terms of punishing offenders, noting AB 3 as a step in the right direction.

Youngblood also asked anyone who sees this type of activity being organized on social media — one of the main ways the so-called sideshows are put together — contact local law enforcement to share information.

"So today we call upon our community, to unite with Assemblyman Fong, with DA Zimmer, with our law enforcement, to stop the disregard for human life, to stop the senseless injuries and death," Goh said. "We know, as a community, this is not tolerable. So speak up, unite with us."