State and local police agencies made fighting illegal street racing and stunt driving a priority in recent months. Legislators followed up with tougher laws to try to eliminate it.
And it seemed to work.
But the warmer spring weather over the weekend brought drivers and big crowds to downtown Atlanta, where stunt driving, shootings and other mayhem remained under investigation Monday. As a result, law enforcement officials and city leaders say it’s again time for a crackdown.
“This type of behavior is dangerous, and it attracts more danger,” Michael Julian Bond, an Atlanta city councilman, said Monday. “You know, it attracts crowds or pedestrians that could be killed (while) watching. Obviously, the street racing itself is dangerous and can result in other accidents or, you know, heaven forbid, fatalities.”
Seven people were arrested during a multi-agency response to illegal stunt driving near Georgia State University’s campus, according to authorities with Atlanta police, the Georgia State Patrol and Capitol police. They face charges of laying drag, reckless driving and other traffic offenses.
The first illegal driving instance happened shortly after midnight Sunday, with another incident reported near midnight Monday. Gunfire erupted during the first episode, officials confirmed.
Videos posted to social media showed a crowd of hundreds blocking the intersection of Courtland Street and John Wesley Dobbs Avenue on Sunday as stunt drivers laid drag. Some bystanders climbed or jumped atop vehicles that appeared to be trying to get around the blockade.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following video includes graphic language.
Atlanta police reiterated that fighting the illegal driving is again a priority for the department.
“The Atlanta Police Department will continue to enforce Georgia state laws and city of Atlanta ordinances against any groups or individuals who engage in illegal street racing activity,” the department said in a statement. “Deterring street racing activity is a top priority for our department as the summer approaches, and we will continue to work alongside multiple neighboring agencies to arrest street racing offenders, as well as impound any vehicles involved in street racing activity.”
According to Atlanta police, officers patrolling the area saw a man in a Ford F-250 driving recklessly and laying drag at the intersection. Officers initiated a traffic stop and arrested the driver, 23-year-old Justin Leon Hardemon. He was charged with laying drag and reckless driving and taken to the Atlanta City Detention Center, police said.
About a mile away the same night, Georgia State Patrol troopers found the intersection of Memorial Drive and Capitol Avenue shut down by numerous vehicles, the state agency said.
“Vehicles were left unattended and blocking the roadway,” the State Patrol said in a statement. “There were several hundred pedestrians in the area.”
The GSP’s aviation unit was called in to monitor the location and offer descriptions of vehicles involved in the stunt driving, the agency said. Officers on the ground were then able to perform traffic stops and take suspects into custody.
One of the suspects, whose name was not released, was the driver of a Dodge Charger who had been performing stunts in the intersection before getting out of the car with a gun, approaching the crowd and firing a shot, according to the State Patrol. No one was injured, but the crowd quickly dispersed, and the suspect got back in the car and drove away, authorities said.
The aviation unit tracked the Charger until the vehicle was eventually stopped and the driver was taken into custody, the GSP said.
That driver was booked on charges of reckless stunt driving, no insurance, reckless conduct and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after two guns were found in the vehicle. A backseat passenger ran away but was later apprehended and faces charges of obstruction and participating in street racing activity.
About 24 hours later, Atlanta police saw a gray Chrysler 300 laying drag, again at the intersection of Courtland Street and John Wesley Dobbs Avenue, the department said. Officers stopped the car, took the driver — 21-year-old Isaiah Hudson — into custody and impounded the vehicle.
Officers said they found two firearms in the vehicle: an AR-15 and a Glock 22. Hudson was charged with laying drag, reckless driving and improper display of license plates, police said. He also was taken to the Atlanta City Detention Center.
Like other crimes, the coronavirus pandemic sparked a surge in street racing in metro Atlanta, both on downtown roads and in suburban areas. In May 2021, Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation in an attempt to crack down on those promoting or participating in street racing. The city of Atlanta joined other metro municipalities in adding laws to fight illegal driving.
But the weekend’s events proved it’s time for police to again step up efforts, Bond said.
“I know that APD had successfully begun to, I guess, crack down or discourage the activity because we haven’t seen this for a while, at least since — to the best of my knowledge — no major incident of this has happened since about a year, maybe, or maybe 18 months. Nothing of this magnitude,” Bond said. “The danger it attracts affects other unsuspecting people. In that particular area, you have several high rises, so someone firing a gun in any direction, but, you know, certainly firing it up, could affect people who are sleeping, who are not even remotely involved, can be affected by this.”
In recent weeks, GSU police and security officers have shut down large parties at nearby off-campus apartment complexes, which resulted in hundreds of students and non-students gathering in the street near the housing corridor along Piedmont Avenue, the university said in a statement. Some of the behavior has been disorderly, and some has been unlawful.
A driver fired shots Saturday night after individuals jumped on and damaged his vehicle, according to police. There were also two shooting incidents Sunday evening in the area, where non-GSU individuals were struck by gunfire. Georgia State has increased its police presence in the area, restricted guest access in on-campus university housing, and is working closely with off-campus property owners to stop these events.
In addition to the stunt driving and other shootings, a separate shooting was reported downtown Sunday night, according to Atlanta police. At around 9:50 p.m., officers were called to 195 John Wesley Dobbs, where they located a male with a gunshot wound to his back. Investigators believe two groups were exchanging gunfire when the victim was caught in the crossfire.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following video includes graphic language.
