Man suspected of organizing street racing events in Tacoma, King County arrested
An 18-year-old man who Tacoma police suspect has been organizing and facilitating street-racing events throughout Pierce and King counties, including Tacoma, was arrested Friday.
Street-racing events have been an ongoing issue in Tacoma. Often on weekends, large groups of people have shut down intersections in Tacoma by blocking streets. Crowds of spectators point cell phones while cars do burnouts and perform doughnuts, sometimes drifting dangerously close to onlookers.
Just weeks ago, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards was stuck in traffic while street racers blocked South Tacoma Way near South 38th Street.
A joint investigation between Kent and Tacoma police departments led to the identification of the suspect, TPD said in a news release. He was arrested by Tacoma police at a residence in Puyallup.
Police said the man will be transferred to King County for charges related to incidents there. The investigation is ongoing for incidents in Pierce County.
It’s unclear whether the arrest will lead to fewer street-racing events in Tacoma. Police spokesperson Wendy Haddow said it’s hard to know how many street-racing organizers are out there, but that the suspect is believed to be responsible for organizing “numerous” illegal events.
“Tacoma Police Department will continue to focus their efforts on identifying and arresting those that organize these events,” Haddow said.
This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 3:48 PM.
