GLENDALE, Ariz — Police said two teenagers have been arrested for their part in a street racing incident in Glendale Sunday night.
A report from the Glendale Police Department says officers were called to Glendale Avenue and Glen Harbor Boulevard around 10:30 p.m. for reports of street racing in the area.
According to the report, when officers arrived on scene, they found several vehicles and a group of pedestrians blocking the intersection.
As officers got closer, the report says they said they could smell smoke and hear loud noises from vehicles doing burnout maneuvers in the middle of the street.
Police said as soon as the spectators saw the officers, the parties involved began fleeing in different directions.
Officers observed two teens get into one of the vehicles blocking the intersection and take off westbound on Glendale Avenue.
According to police, officers were able to pull the car over a short time later.
Police said the driver, identified as Marco Diaz, 18, and his passenger, identified as Christopher De La Cruz, 19, were arrested without incident.
Police said De La Cruz told officers the pair found out about the event on social media, and De La Cruz admitted he was with Diaz and their car was parked and blocking traffic at the intersection.
Police said De La Cruz and Diaz were charged for blocking traffic on a city street and being involved with street racing events.
Arizona law enforcement agencies said illegal street racing and intersection takeovers have been major problems across the Valley for years.
Glendale police said the department has a traffic unit that works street racing issues, but they are not specific to it.
"The traffic unit at night consists of our motor units. Typically they take the lead on organizing efforts to combat the issue," said Glendale Police Sgt. Randy Stewart.
A Phoenix Police Street Racing Task Force, created a year ago to crack down on the problem, is seeing results.
In 2020, they received 6,200 calls for service, but in 2021, that number dropped to about 4,500.
Police issued 2,000 citations in 2020, compared to more than 600 last year, and filed 5,200 charges in 2020, with just more than 1,200 in 2021.
“Until people realize this ain’t the place to do it... we may not catch them today or tomorrow, but we will identify them, and they will be arrested,” he said. “Think twice before you engage in this type of activity," said Sgt. Philip Krynsky of the Phoenix Police Department.
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