A viral video depicting a street race on Leesburg Pike in Tysons has forced the hand of the Fairfax County Police Department.
Police Chief Kevin Davis and other officials warned at a press conference last week that those caught drag racing on Fairfax County streets will be found and prosecuted to the extent of the law.
“This is not youthful indiscretion,” Davis said. “This is a brazen street race that does, can, and will cost people their lives.”
The video depicts a Cybertruck outrunning a Lamborghini down Route 7 in Tysons. Dozens of observers can be seen near the roadway — too close for comfort, according to Davis.
“You can see where that video footage is paused the number of persons that are in the roadway as spectators,” Davis said. “At those speeds, it doesn’t take much for one car to bump into the other [and] send that car spinning and careening into a crowd of people who are standing by watching.”
The video, which was shared on social media last month, had generated more than 154 million views on Twitter as of this morning (Tuesday).
The FCPD announced on Nov. 2 that both of the drivers in the video had been identified, arrested and charged. At the press conference on Friday (Nov. 8), police department leaders warned that they will continue to pursue charges against anybody who engages in street racing.
“To us, this is a very violent crime as well, because people lose their lives on a roadway at a much higher rate than we are happy with,” Assistant Police Chief Robert Blakley said.
To date this year, at least 39 people have been killed in crashes on Fairfax County roadways. Two people were killed in crashes over the Veterans Day weekend — one in Oakton and another in Reston.
As of Friday, the FCPD has placed 12 racing charges in 2024. Someone convicted of the crime would have their driver’s license suspended for at least six months, according to state law.
Virginia also prohibits people from organizing or supporting street races, designating it a Class 1 misdemeanor that could be punished with up to 12 months in jail or a $2,500 fine.
FCPD officials shared plans with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in October to advocate for the General Assembly to extend those penalities to people who abet car meets with reckless driving — another issue that police say has picked up over the past couple of years.
Screenshot via @ccj_media/Instagram
