Nearly 50 Illegal Street Racers Arrested Near Tucson: PCSD

TUCSON, AZ — Pima County sheriff's deputies arrested 48 people for illegal street racing south of Tucson over the weekend, the department announced.

In a news release posted to Facebook, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said it responded to several 911 calls about street racing near Swan and Los Reales Road. The department's Survey Two airplane found a group of 75 cars gathered up and ready to race, according to the release. The plane also observed several races with speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

As deputies approached the group, the cars began to scatter. Deputies caught 30 of the cars involved and were able to identify others that were not street legal in the area. Approximately 48 people were arrested and released at the scene for taking part in street racing, the sheriff's department said.

In a statement, Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said that his officers will be cracking down on street racing in the area.

“This is a safety issue and a quality of life issue,” Magnus said. “TPD is pursuing a number of strategies to hold those involved accountable. Among other things, being caught racing or engaging in other dangerous exhibitionist conduct with vehicles on city streets will result in a quick trip to jail, expensive citations and the potential loss of a driver’s license.”

According to the Tucson Police Department, citations for racing on city streets increased from 7 in 2019 to 17 in 2020.