May 14, 2021 Share
Jaye Sanford, a 52-year-old mother of two, was driving home in suburban Atlanta on Nov. 21 when a man in a Dodge Challenger muscle car who was allegedly street racing crashed into her head-on, killing her.
She is one of the many victims of a surge in street racing that has taken root across America during the coronavirus pandemic, prompting police crackdowns and bills aimed at harsher punishments.
Experts say TV shows and movies glorifying street racing had already fueled interest in recent years. Then shutdowns associated with the pandemic cleared normally clogged highways as commuters worked from home.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill named for Sanford last week after it passed the General Assembly. Besides mandating at least 10 days of jail time for all drag racing convictions, the measure requires people convicted a third time within five years to forfeit their vehicles.
“This illegal activity is very dangerous,” the Republican governor said at a bill-signing ceremony. “Our goal is simple: to protect every family in every community.”
In New York City, authorities received more than 1,000 drag racing complaints over six months last year a nearly five-fold increase over the same period in 2019.
“Illegal street racing puts lives at risk and keeps us up at night,” said New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman. “While there’s been less traffic during the pandemic, some drivers have used this as an opportunity to treat our streets like a NASCAR speedway.”
New Mexico Auditor Colón To Run For State Attorney General -
By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón announced his candidacy Thursday for the office of state attorney general.
The Democrat wants to follow in the footsteps of former law firm colleague and friend Hector Balderas, who is wrapping up his second term as New Mexico s top prosecutor and consumer advocate. Balderas also served as state auditor before being elected attorney general.
Colón, 51, is the first person to enter the race for an open seat that has been dominated by Democrats for the better part of a century. Republicans have held the office only three times in the state s nearly 110-year history.