LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — For months, residents near the intersection of Hacienda and Lamb said their tranquil community has been bombarded with street races and takeovers.
"In the last I'd say 6-8 months; it's just been picking up. You can count on it happening every single day," said Steven Vaden, who has lived in the community for nearly 4 years.
Vaden said the illegal street racing and burnouts happen at all hours of the day. He shared over a dozen videos of the illegal street racers in his neighborhood. In one of the videos, you can see a driver nearly lose control of his vehicle and almost crash into his neighbor's front yard. He said, at times, the smoke from the burnouts seeps into his house.
"It's gotten progressively worse, and the boiling point has kind of reached a maximum in that when it first began, we'd deal with it and go about our day. Now we have neighbors shooting at the cars and conversely, i guess, we have cars shooting back at the neighbors," said Vaden.
This week, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) shared a video on social media warning drivers about the illegal street takeovers/ street racing. In the video, Deputy Chief Jose Hernandez said illegal street takeovers put lives at risk, disrupt our community and won't be tolerated. He said people who participate in this type of activity could be arrested, receive a citation and have their cars towed.
🚨 Street Takeovers Are Illegal & Dangerous 🚨
Illegal street takeovers put lives at risk, disrupt our community, and won't be tolerated. If you witness one happening:
📞 Dial 911 or 311 for non-emergencies.
📸 Have photos, videos, or info? Email us at RAID@lvmpd.com.What… pic.twitter.com/w60mi9t4jd
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) December 10, 2024
“These activities often take place at busy intersections, residential area posing safety risks to participants, spectators and the general public. This reckless behavior will not be tolerated in our roadways," said Hernandez.
Over the last few days, LVMPD installed a shot spotter in the area to help deter the illegal activity. Channel 13 also reached out to the county to learn what the county is doing to address the resident's concerns.
Clark County shared the following response in an email:
"Public Works Department will be doing some milling/cutting into asphalt at the intersection so it will be a less attractive surface for drifting and doing donuts. (If you try to do a donut, you will get a flat tire.) The milling will occur in the next couple of weeks. CCPW also plans to add a speed cushion in each direction on Lamb north of Hacienda. LVMPD representatives also encouraged neighbors to report dangerous driving behavior to police so the problem is documented and enforcement efforts can be stepped up as needed."
“I’m excited about it. We are all excited about it. Literally, every neighbor is just, you know, thank goodness that some change is coming," said Vaden.
Vaden tells Channel 13 he has already noticed some changes since the installation of the shot spotter.
“It’s been so quiet at night, it's been so peaceful, it’s been absolutely beautiful," he added.
If street racing/takeovers are happening in your neighborhood, you can call 3-1-1 or 9-1-1 for help.
