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WATCH: Street racers set fire to parking lot, shut down I-10 in Baton Rouge with overnight car stunts

1 year 3 months 1 week ago Sunday, December 18 2022 Dec 18, 2022 December 18, 2022 10:04 PM December 18, 2022 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - Street racers set fire to a parking lot and blocked off part of I-10 with reckless car stunts overnight.

According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, officers responded to reports of reckless drivers and car stunts outside a shopping center off Siegen Lane around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Afterward, a social media account "StreetDemonsBR" began posting videos. 

One of their other stops is at the Race Track off of O'Neal Lane. An employee with the gas station says this has been going on for some time now. 

"Yes, they normally started about a week or so ago, made it permanent, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays."

She says she's seen car stunt drivers for the past week straight, but when she saw a blazing ring of fire in the parking lot right next door she was upset.

"That's not normal, that's ridiculous, that's destroying property."

Police said they had to chase down some vehicles who tried to flee the scene, and tickets were given out. At least one vehicle was towed away.

Although citations were issued, it's unclear what they were for.

Metro Councilmember Rowdy Gaudet says it's concerning to see this go on, especially since it's something they've been working to combat. 

"My reaction is like 99 percent of residents, which is that's not the type of activity we want or we need in our community," Gaudet said.

Chaos around the city didn't end with blocked roadways and a heap of traffic along the interstate. A witness near the Race Trac gas station said he watched the moments car stunt drivers destroyed what he calls home.

The drivers knocked over his tent and other items in his encampment. He said he was happy he wasn't in it at the time. 

Gaudet says heavier policies were made, but how much they are being enforced by the police department is something he is unsure of.

"We increased them from where they were in 2021 from $500 for your first offense to $1,000 for your second offense...That's actually the maximum financial penalty that we can put on them."

Penalties could also take cars away, arrest spectators and draw serious offenses against those running the media pages. 

Baton Rouge police say they're still investigating the incident and didn't provide any further information.

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