Columbus to hold public hearing on ending street racing

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Columbus City Council’s Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee will hold a public hearing next week to address reckless driving in Columbus.

Hosted by City Councilors Emmanuel Remy and Shayla Favor, the hearing will begin Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and will seek public input on proposed changes to the city’s street racing provision. The changes would address the rise in reckless driving, reckless driving and street takeovers that have become more common in Columbus and across Ohio.

Last year, a “hostile street takeover” on Indianola Avenue drew hundreds of participants and ended in a shootout with police. A month earlier, another man died after a street racing accident.

The hearing is one of several attempts to crack down on reckless driving in Ohio. Ohio House Bill 56 is headed to the governor’s desk and would increase penalties for fleeing police and engaging in driving stunts, including donuts, wheelies and allowing a passenger into the vehicle when they are not fully inside. The bill would increase penalties and classify reckless driving as a first-degree misdemeanor, with those convicted facing a license suspension ranging from 30 days to three years.

The hearing will take place in the Columbus City Council Chambers at 90 W. Broad St. People can also tune in live on the council’s YouTube or Facebook page. Anyone wishing to provide written or public testimony can do so by emailing [email protected] by 3 p.m. on July 11.