Street racing crackdown in Indianapolis could cost drivers their cars with stiff penalties

The Indianapolis City-County Council Monday night unanimously passed an ordinance to increase penalties for street racing and car stunt events.

Under Proposal 314, people who organize, promote or drive in a street racing event can be fined up to $1,000 for a first offense, and police will be able to impound participants' cars and motorcycles for at least 30 days. Second-time offenders will be fined $2,500.

The proposal was introduced after Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to six different street takeover events in a single weekend last month. Several police cars were pelted with empty glass bottles and smashed with baseball bats.

More: IMPD, ISP overwhelmed by six 'street takeovers' in just over 24 hours

The proposal initially included language that would also fine spectators of street takeovers, but Councilor Brienne Delaney expressed First Amendment concerns. After she proposed an amendment removing that provision, the City-County Council unanimously approved the ordinance.

Police welcomed the new ordinance, saying it expands their ability to combat illegal street gatherings.

"IMPD remains dedicated to the safety of our roadways and this ordinance represents a significant step toward achieving that goal," a statement shared by Chief Christopher Bailey read in part.

Mayor Joe Hogsett has previously expressed support for the proposal on social media and is expected to sign the ordinance into law within the next 10 days. Once signed, the law will be effective immediately.

Previous reporting: Proposal could mean even crowd members face fines for watching illegal street racing

One weekend in September saw multiple street takeovers across the city. Seven people were arrested between Sept. 15 and Sept. 16 on charges including reckless driving and resisting law enforcement. A spokesperson for IMPD said that an additional arrest occurred at some point in the last 10 days.

Bailey called that weekend's events "the most pronounced violations of law that we've seen in a while."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Street racing crackdown in Indianapolis could cost drivers their cars with stiff penalties