Video of cars drag racing, doing donuts in street has West Loop residents calling for action
City council is expected to vote on an ordinance that would allow police to impound cars involved in this type of recklessness
CHICAGO (WLS) -- There are calls for action from West Loop residents after a Chicago police officer was injured responding to drag racing that turned violent over the weekend.
Neighbors said the intersection of Monroe and Clinton streets was blocked off for hours overnight Saturday.
You can still see the tire marks left behind at the intersection that has also left neighbors upset.
"I just hope they don't come back tonight," said West Loop resident Kate Breckenridge.
The sounds of screeching tires woke neighbors out of their sleep.
Video shows cars drag racing and doing street stunts in the street, which Breckenridge said lasted for hours, starting around 2 a.m. Sunday.
"The police came, but they didn't have enough police to do anything about it because there were probably over a hundred people here," Breckenridge said.
She said when more officers were able to respond, things escalated more.
Police said just before 4:30 a.m., fireworks were being thrown at them from the upper level of a parking garage.
One officer was hit and nearly an hour later a 17-year-old boy was arrested, police said. He's now charged with aggravated assault on a police officer.
"It's really unfortunate because, yeah, you know what? We all did dumb things as kids, but this is to another level and it's dangerous for the public," said Julie Darling with West Loop Community Organization
Darling is hoping more is done to keep the reckless driving off the streets
"I just hope the city is going to address it," she said.
Alderman Marty Quinn, 13th Ward, said he plans to steer in that direction with an ordinance he is co-sponsoring that could give CPD the authority to impound cars involved in this type of recklessness behind the wheel.
"First, fines and fees are not enough," Ald. Quinn said. "My hope is that this ordinance that we pass will add additional teeth, and hopefully this sort of conduct will cease once they realize that they can lose their car."
The full city council is set to vote on the ordinance on Wednesday.
