Troopers step up efforts to stop street racers after deadly Easter weekend crash

Authorities cracking down on street racing

An increase in street racing has law enforcement in Central Florida issuing a bold statement. This comes after a deadly weekend crash that claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - There are calls to stop street racing after an 11-year-old girl was killed when officials say two teens were racing in Kissimmee.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a 17-year-old and 19-year-old were street racing in Kissimmee Friday night when one of the drivers lost control and hit a woman's car. Her 11-year-old daughter in the backseat of the SUV died from the high-impact crash. FHP says charges are pending for the two teens.

Pastor Stovelleo Stovall says he hears and sees people racing in the street every day and is calling for change.

"You can’t take that life back. It’s too late. And now, we have a family mourning because of what? A senseless act of someone trying to race and drive out here in the streets," Stovall said. "Please stop doing your drag racing here in the streets among other families."

This weekend, FHP troopers arrested three people who were involved in street racing. The agency says in the past year, they've seen an increase in street racing and have been stepping up efforts to stop it.

"That’s the danger to you and I and the public, is that we could be driving down the road and one of these spontaneous street races breaks out and we’re caught in the middle of it," said Kim Montes, with Florida Highway Patrol.

Montes is warning street racers that troopers are on the lookout and will make arrests.

"We are sending our troopers to those areas immediately to try and shut these down before people get hurt and we have written hundreds of tickets in the last year," Montes said.