Osceola sheriff calls for more deputies to help combat aggressive driving, street racing
Street racing crackdown in Osceola County
In Osceola County, a growing memorial marks the scene where an 11-year-old girl died in an alleged street racing crash along U.S. Highway 192. Now the Osceola County Sheriff's Office is speaking out about the dangers of street racing and their efforts to crackdown on the illegal activity.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Osceola County's sheriff said his deputies arrested more than 170 drivers and handed out nearly 700 tickets to curb aggressive driving, but it still hasn’t gotten rid of the problem.
Now, the Sheriff's Office is asking for more manpower to get the job done.
Sheriff Marco Lopez says he’s heartbroken for the local family who lost their 11-year-old daughter in an alleged street racing crash over the weekend. She was in the backseat of her mother’s car when deputies say two teens who were racing crashed into them in Kissimmee on Saturday.
The sheriff says parents should keep in mind what could happen if their teen is reckless behind the wheel.
He wants more deputies to help put the brakes on anyone with a need for speed.
"These are our aggressive driving units, motor units, supervisors, traffic guys," Lopez said. "These are the guys actually out there addressing these aggressive drivers and they were part of the operation with Orange County where we arrested quite a few people."
The sheriff says he'd love to add 30 to 40 more specially-trained deputies to his aggressive driving unit. He's calling on county commissioners to approve more cash for that purpose.
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