Dozens arrested in street-racing crackdown in South Los Angeles

SOUTH LOS ANGELES -- Dozens of Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers swarmed parts of South Los Angeles overnight, cracking down on street racing.

Eyewitness News cameras captured video during an exclusive ABC News ride-along. Forty-four people were arrested after more than 200 cars were trapped during the sweep near West Imperial Highway and Broadway at about 12:30 a.m. Monday.

In February, 26-year-old Eric Siguenza and 50-year-old Wilson Wong were killed in Chatsworth when a speeding car spun out of control on Plummer Street and plowed into a crowd of spectators. Two men, including 21-year-old Henry Gevorgyan, are facing murder charges.

Steve Kopito says illegal street racing has gone on regularly near his office on Plummer Street.

"They'll do, I guess, close to 100 miles an hour when they hit the end of the street," Kopito said.

Authorities in Los Angeles say street racing is a growing problem. Frustrated residents in the neighborhood of Chatsworth say they have called police many times after cars and crowds packed the streets for late night races.

"It's dangerous. I won't even drive down those streets when I see them, the racing or anything, cause I don't think they'll stop," said Ortencia Calderon.

Authorities say they expect illegal street racing to increase during the summer months, and they're planning more crackdowns.

Anyone with information about illegal street racing is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Carson Station at (310) 830-1123.