State Police Stop Drag Racing on I-495

State Police broke up a group attempting to drag race on Interstate 495 southbound this past Friday, arresting two and citing or summonsing five more.

According to State Police spokesman Dave Procopio, a group of men were getting ready to drag race shortly after midnight when police caught up with them.

Procopio said that several cars were lined up, blocking every lane of traffic on Interstate 495 between Lawrence and Andover and going very slow. This, he said, was allowing two cars to race each other in front of them without having to worry about traffic. 

Police ended up arresting two men in the drag racing incident.

Police arrested Jeffery Key, 21, Nashua Nh. 26 Haines St., Nashua, N.H., and Yordany Yobanny Gomez, 21, of 31 Vine St., Haverhill. Both were charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, and blocking traffic on a state highway. Gomez was also charged with attaching plates to an uninsured motor vehicle and attaching plates to an unregistered motor vehicle.

Police summonsed one individual and cited four others in connection with the drag racing as well.

Also, state police arrested seven people for operating under the influence on liquor on the same night in the Andover area on Interstate 93 and 495 and gave out over 100 citations.