With the help of actors from the “Fast and Furious” movies, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer unveiled his campaign against street takeover and street racing on Friday.
As part of that campaign, Spitzer’s office created a public service announcement that can be used nationwide, they announced in a press release.
Joining Spitzer on Friday were actor Sung Kang, who played Han Lue in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and who directed the OCDA’s PSA, and Cody Walker, brother of the late “Fast and Furious” actor Paul Walker.
“I wish our special effects could bring back our loved ones, but unfortunately that won’t be the case,” Kang said. “We are honored to be able to be part of such an important message. Stop racing on the streets and go to the track!”
Walker, who appeared virtually, referenced his late brother, who died in 2013 when he was riding in a speeding Porsche that crashed in Valencia.
“Like many of you, I too have lost somebody due to reckless driving,” Walker said. “I think a lot of the time when those of us that want to go fast, or we have something to prove, we don’t take into consideration the lives of those around us. It’s not just you that you’re putting in jeopardy it’s everybody else around you. So don’t be dumb, take it to the track. There’s somebody at home that loves you that’s expecting you to return. It’s not worth the risk I promise.”
Street racing and takeovers have surged during the pandemic, as fewer people were on the roads.
In 2020, the OCDA’s office joined 10 other law enforcement agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, to form an anti-street-racing task force.
“To date, we have issued over 3,000 citations. We’ve made approximately 300 arrests and impounded countless vehicles,” said Denise Sofa of the CHP.
Spitzer emphasized that he also plans to crack down on those who illegally street race, promising to prosecute them “to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Taking over streets, destroying intersections, and driving nearly 190 mph in traffic next to innocent drivers and passengers are dangerous and violent crimes and the must be treated as such,” he said. “No one – and I mean no one – gets to kill an innocent bystander in pursuit of a high-speed adrenaline rush and get away with it in Orange County.”