To Jonathan, a Hispanic from 40 years, who asks not to reveal his full name, his car was seized for ‘burn the tire’ and do other risky stunts during a street blockade ( takeover ) in downtown Los Angeles.
“This happened 4 months ago, I had just bought a Dodge Challenger sports car 2020. A friend invited me to the takeover . The police arrived and seized my car. ”
In addition to burning a tire, Jonathan was making ‘donuts’, a spin abrupt of the car that is executed when making a turn of 360 degrees by stepping on the accelerator, causing the rear wheels to turn and push the car in a full circle, using the front tires as pivot points.
Tire burning is the practice of spinning the tires while the car is parked. This causes the tires to heat up from friction and start to smoke.
Jonathan had to wait a month to recover your car and pay a fine of $ 1, 500. He was also reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which affected his driving record.
“I had a clean record, not a single fine or accidents. It was bad luck, but I regret having done it. ”
To get his car back, the police asked him to attend the Reckless Driving Intervention Program (SKR).
“I learned a lot about high speed driving. I’ve never had an over-the-limit problem, I was just burning a tire and made a couple of donuts when the police arrived. ”
But most importantly, he says, the course helped him become more aware of not getting involved in anything related to reckless driving. “There is a lot you can lose, cause an accident, kill someone or spend time in prison unnecessarily.”
Jonathan is the father of a teenager of 17 years and a child of 11 years. “I felt very bad about what I did because I want to be an example for my children to follow. That’s why I’m not going back to any takeover . Not worth it. It was the first and the last time. ”
He also says that his 40 years old, he’s too old to ride takeovers . “Reckless driving is not for anyone. Neither young nor old should do it. ”
Reckless Driving
In 2014, a year after Lili Trujillo Puckett lost her daughter Valentina D’Alessandro , in a chariot race that ended in a crash, he founded SKR.
Valentina was in A Mustang vehicle in which he was given a ride to his house after his party, when the driver decided to get involved in a clandestine competition, at the time that another friend paired him up and invited him to race.
“I started going to talk to schools,” recalls Trujillo Puckett.
In 2016 turned the SKR program into a non-profit organization in honor of his daughter Valentina, who passed away at 16 years.
This program works as a mentor to individuals who have been given felony and misdemeanors by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the California Highway Patrol.
“We also work with criminal lawyers so that when their clients go to court to pay their fine, the judges see what they did some program against illegal racing; and we are also talking to the courts for county prosecutors to refer us to individuals who have been involved in reckless driving. ”
Trujillo Puckett clarifies that they do not send anyone who has taken the life of someone for reckless driving.
“Our goal is to raise awareness about the dangers of reckless driving to prevent future collisions and deaths on the streets.”
“The Bad Boy” as a young man from asks to be identified years old, whose Camaro car was seized by LAPD officers 2021 in March, he says that he has never participated in clandestine races and only burned a tire on a street parallel to the Los Angeles River.
“It was a Friday around 8 of the night. My cousin invited me and I said, I’m going to go for a little while while the traffic calms down. To come, my friends put a lot of pressure on me to burn my tire. I didn’t think about it; and I got carried away by the adrenaline of the moment. ”
The boy says that the program Reckless Driving Intervention Program (SKR), it served him a lot especially when he heard stories like that of Valentina, the daughter of Lili Trujillo. “What I did is not right. My parents scolded me a lot. Thanks to this program I was able to recover my car in 15 days and I paid as $ 1, 000 fine. The truth is, I no longer want to get into trouble. ”
They are considered as acts of reckless driving to clandestine races, driving exceeding speed limits, driving too close to the vehicle in front, zigzagging in traffic, burning tires, blocking streets to perform risky feats with cars, driving under the influence of drugs and ignoring traffic signals.
The program consists of a one and a half hour course taught by Zoom due to the pandemic.
“Participants they have to take it from home. Participating as speakers are Lori Argumedo who lost her niece Bethany Holguín in an underground race in Compton, an LAPD or CHP officer, and a detective from LASD motorsports , an organization of retired police officers who legally race cars on the Irwindale city track. ”
Trujillo Pickett says that in addition to raising awareness, they want to give them alternatives of running tracks without endangering the lives of others and their own.
“In the end we make them sign a promise that they will no longer participate in illegal races, make donuts and burn tires in the streets. And they are given a certificate that they completed the course. ”
What this mother tells the participants is that she is aware that instead of taking the course, they could be having a better time, doing something they like.
However, being present in the program is a blessing because if they are there it is because they did not kill anyone or nothing happened to them.
“I observe their faces a lot and they are very serious. Some say they weren’t doing illegal races, just taking photos. Then they argue that they did not know that driving recklessly or going to the takeovers was a problem and that people would die. ”
Trujillo Puckett says their message is to drive the way they want the person they love to drive. “Would you like him to risk his life? You have the power that nothing happens to you and other people when you touch the wheel. Be careful so that they can return home to have dinner with your family and watch your favorite television series. ”
And it makes them see that they don’t want their mothers to end up in a non-profit organization by raising awareness against illegal careers. “Sometimes, I have been in court, and I have felt more bad for the mother and the little sister who cry in dismay because their son and brother are being handcuffed after condemning him to a long sentence for killing someone in a race clandestine ”.
Remember that he had to see that a boy from 18 years, be sentenced to 24 years in prison for killing someone by reckless driving.
Yes OK, He says that for boys it can be very cool and an act of rebellion to participate in underground races or turn the car, the only thing they reflect is immaturity. “It is a wrong wake-up call. They have no knowledge of the value of life. ”
Trujillo Puckett says that 7 years after creating SKR, she feels satisfied . “It’s a way to have my daughter Valentina close to me and to feel that I am getting closer to her.”
You can contact SKR at 303 – 303 – 0164, in www.streetracingkills.org or write to: info@streetracingkills.org .