Illegal street racers unleashed a night of mayhem on Long Island over the weekend, burning rubber, doing donuts and figure eights on a street. It was part of an ongoing issue that was taken to a new level. When police showed up to shut down the race the drivers attempted to escape in their souped-up cars — and several of them crashed as they tried to get away. NBC New York’s Pei-Sze Cheng reports.
Illegal street racers stepped on the gas when police came to shut down their event on Long Island, but authorities said several of the drivers had to run on foot after crashing their rides.
Two police officers were also involved in crashes, with each striking a pole during their response.
Firefighters from Islip were dispatched around 2 a.m. Sunday for reports of fires at a drift racing event on Commack Road at the Sunrise Highway overpass, the department said.
The fire engines were initially unable to get to the scene because illegal road closures had reportedly been set up, as cars and crowds blocked traffic. The screeching tires and revving engines woke those who live nearby up from their sleep.
"They had megaphones. It sounded like guns were shooting under the bridge. They were videoing it on the street here they were videoing it at least about an hour," said witness Lorri Holmes, whose husband called 911 several times.
Police eventually managed to get through and tried to shut down the race, prompting the drivers to flee in different directions.
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But several of them, according to Islip authorities, did not make it very far.
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One of the fleeing vehicles was involved in a crash with another vehicle at Commack Road and Wallace Street. The fleeing vehicle fled that scene, too, and then crashed with another vehicle moments later, bursting into flames. The fleeing driver ran from the scene on foot. The driver of the other vehicle wasn't hurt.
Police reported two other crashes involving vehicles fleeing the scene. One driver fled the crash scene on foot. The other driver was issued multiple traffic summonses.
The two police officers involved in the crashes were treated and released from a local hospital.
