Two young men allegedly involved in a high-speed street race in Tuatapere last year have had their cars impounded after search warrants were carried out by Southland police last week.
A police spokesman said they were alerted on the evening of November 5 when a vehicle crashed into a paddock after failing to make a turn at the corner of Grove Burn Rd.
Two vehicles were believed to be racing along the road, travelling about three times the street speed limit of 50kmh.
On Friday, police executed search warrants in the Tuatapere and Winton areas in relation to the incident.
As a result, two men, aged 18 and 19, were spoken to and their vehicles were impounded.
Both are due to appear in Invercargill District Court on February 18 charged with illegal street racing.
Further charges were likely, the spokesman said.
‘‘Police are committed to holding illegal street racers to account as we know the impact this activity has on the community.
‘‘Not only does it keep residents awake and damage the roads, but it places drivers, passengers, bystanders, and other motorists at extreme risk,’’ the spokesman said.
He asked members of the public to report unlawful activity to police as soon as possible if they saw it, and asked people to include as much information as could be safely gathered.
