Philadelphia Police Bring Racing to Screeching Halt

PHILADELPHIA --

Philadelphia police stepped up efforts to curb danger on city streets with a drag racing crackdown this weekend.

The raid comes after a teenager was killed and four others injured in a street-racing crash on Aug. 12 in Southwest Philadelphia.

Officers said they arrested 10 suspected flagmen and charged one man with assaulting a police officer during overnight raids at 61st Street and Passyunk Avenue.

Neighbors in the area said they often hear cars racing, especially between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.

But police said they brought the events to a screeching halt Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Police said they got the flagmen early Sunday, but the two suspected drag racers got away. One, however, left behind his car, police said.

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