Drag Racers Hit Pedestrians, Kill 1

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Sunday, August 17, 2008 (NBC30): New Haven police said one person died and another was injured in what they called a "drag race turned hit-and-run." All roads have been reopened since the accident, which happened at about 1:20 a.m. Sunday on New Haven's Long Wharf Drive.

Police said drag racing has been an ongoing problem in the city. Last week, drag racers totaled eight cars on Lexington Avenue. No arrests have been made.

Update: New Haven Independent coverage, and an interview with the Chief of Police, can be found here: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/08/deadly_crash_el.php

A reader post from the Independent's updated coverage at http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/08/dragracing_deat.php:

Posted by: Westville Mom August 19, 2008 1:10 PM
I can confirm that drag racing is a problem ALL over the city of New Haven. In Jan. of 2007 racers were gathering in front of my home AT SCHOOL DISMISSAL TIME and racing right TOWARD Edgewood School. Outraged, I called 911, but was told the racers would move before the police could catch them. However, they (red car plus different "pals") returned at least 2 more times within a 2-3 week period. I managed to get 2 eyewitnesses, snapped photos, and contacted both the police and my alderwoman, emailing photos to both. (Unable to get "action" photos, I only had identification shots of post-race engine checks.) I did everything in my power to get a reaction from someone...anyone. The official reaction, however, was merely rhetoric with no true action, whatsoever. I never even saw a police car. This should be a cautionary tale to the city that the children and parents of Edgewood School were in grave danger and other children may very well be in the future. My sense of dire urgency was not acknowledged at that time, however I do hope that attitudes are changing with the new police chief in place. (BTW, they have not returned since then---they saw that there were eyewitnesses.) To see photos of Jan. 9, 2007 go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/new_haven