Story Category: The Bay Net Exclusives »

   Charles County Sheriff Rex Coffey assured the Board of County Commissioners this week that street racing incidents in Charles County are not the problem they used to be.  The Sheriff reported that his officers have the matter well in hand.   

   Sheriff Coffey said that incidents at the county’s three racing hotspots were down to seven last year.  He felt the decrease was a result of greater amounts of officers on Sunday patrol, and specific occasions when officers enlisted the help of a low-flying aircraft to help locate fleeing perpetrators.   Aircraft have followed race participants fleeing the scene and alerted police cars to the participant’s destination.  Officers on the ground show up at the destination to give citations resulting in penalty fees and drivers’ license points. 

   According to Coffey, Charles County has a long history of illegal street racing, most commonly with racing motorcycles or “crotch-rockets” on Highway 210 between Accokeek and Bryans Road, on Route 6 near the St. Mary’s County line and on Route 224 in western Charles County.  The events are highly organized and participants frequently eluded police.

   Board of Commissioners Vice President, Dr. Edith Patterson (D, District 2) conveyed to the Board that the scene of the crime immediately after the crash was so gruesome that counseling services should be offered to the witnesses and families of the victims. 

   Patterson told the board that over the years she has seen street races on Highway 210 on Saturday or Sunday on her way to or from Washington, D.C.  She expressed that people involved in “street racing culture” wouldn’t easily be deterred from racing by the crash or police attention; they’d just find a different location.  Patterson expressed interest in solutions to make such racing safer, including a dedicated racing site in-county. 

   The drag strip at the Maryland International Raceway at Budds Creek is available for rent to private groups year round.  However, the $800 price tag for weekdays and $1600 for weekends makes the temptation of free stretches of public highways understandable.   

   Despite Wednesday’s weather, about 60 people gathered for a candlelight vigil at the crash site.  A few of the victims’ family and friends gave comments to the media, but most of the participants turned their faces away from the cameras.  An additional vigil was also scheduled for Thursday night.