TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — High powered cars, guns and reckless behavior. They all come together in street takeovers where huge gatherings block intersections for car stunts and other dangerous moves. This past weekend, takeovers on Tucson’s east side and south side led to a shooting, and arson.
At Kolb and Irvington, the street is full of shredded tires and skid marks. It is the scene of a street takeover, full of dangerous driving and dangerous people.
Drivers brought their cars to Kolb and Irvington to take over the intersection, do doughnuts and other tricks. Some brought guns too. That left a man shot and badly injured.
At 12th and Drexel street takeover artists found another way to spice up their action. They burned a stolen car—Maria’s car.
“It was my only transportation. I'm just a single mom. Have two kids. I'm a hard worker, and I don't understand what I did to deserve what I got in return. Like, you know, stealing my vehicles one but burning it is another. Like, now I'm absolutely out of any kind of transportation.”
“Maria originally asked us not to show her face or use her real name because the people who do this are dangerous—and have more firepower than mercy or common sense. Later she said she was comfortable with KGUN identifying her by her real name: Trisha Saucedo.
Victor wanted to keep a low profile too so we are not using his real name.
He says a bullet hole in his tree is a souvenir of a time he told kids—-and most are kids—to cut out the takeovers and think of the trouble they bring to his neighborhood.
He says, “They they usually come and wreck the cars, and they just drive away and they change cars around the neighborhood, and then it gets so bad, the smoke, the tires burning, and there's sick people around over here, who you know, have a breathing problems, so that is not too healthy for anybody.”
Neighbors say they call police but everyone scatters by the time police get there.
To help fight takeovers and street racing Tucson Police are getting a mobile speed enforcement van, more surveillance cameras, more license plate readers, more gunshot detectors, and encrypting police radios so street racers and takeover crews can’t tell when police are on the way.
Trisha says her own son is 14–about the same age as some of the kids in street takeover crowds. He tells her he doesn’t understand that behavior either.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
