ATLANTA — Neighbors are demanding an end to reckless street racing stunts right at their front doors.
For a couple of hours Saturday and Sunday night, street racers and crowds took over part of the Castleberry Hills neighborhood, causing chaos.
People who live there told Channel 2′s Tom Regan that they are fed up and want more police action.
“I came out to see what the commotion was. Saw smoke and mortars going off, exploding over the roofs of houses,” neighbor Jacob Burkhardt said.
He said it all unfolded near his apartment Sunday night. Sports cars were spinning in circles, burning rubber, and crowds of spectators were setting off fireworks along a narrow street.
“What if a car skids off the road and hits a home, or a firework is aimed poorly and goes and hurts somebody? A lot could go wrong very quickly,” Burkhardt said.
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For two nights, Saturday and Sunday, the stunt drivers and spectators took over streets in the neighborhood near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“To drag race on this street is pretty dangerous,” neighbor Erin White said.
White told Regan that she got fed up, so she spoke to some of those behind the wheel.
“When I got down here, I was shocked because it was kids. They were like 18 to 20,” White said. “And I came out and said, ‘You guys have to put those fireworks out. You got to cut it all out but the fireworks for sure, because it could damage property,’” White said.
Neighbors say it took a while, but Atlanta and state police eventually showed up to break up the crowds.
Burkhardt said he's not against kids having a little fun with their hot cars, but take it to a safer area.
“There’s a lot of parking lots close to here. So just do that,” Burkhardt said.
Atlanta police and state police wrote several tickets after breaking up the crowd.
Neighbors are hoping to hold a meeting with police soon to address the street racing problem.
Cox Media Group
