COLUMBUS, Ohio — The sound of the highway is typical background noise in a north Columbus neighborhood that backs up to Interstate 270, but after dark, it can be a completely different story.
“I would describe it like you are at NASCAR or at a drag strip,” said Jason, who asked 10TV not to use his last name.
He reached out to 10TV because he was concerned about what he said sounded like people racing on I-270. He said it happens nightly and picks up on weekends.
“I am concerned that somebody is going to get killed. One of these guys is going to lose control of their vehicle and they are going to crash and maybe take out another car in the process,” he said.
This summer, the Hilliard Division of Police joined forces with the Dublin Police Department, the Columbus Division of Police, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to crack down on reckless driving on the outer belt.
This was in response to groups of people meeting up to race and drive recklessly between exits on I-270. FCSO Chief Deputy Jim Gilbert spoke to 10TV in June and said much of the activity was driven by social media.
“This is criminal activity and criminal behavior. You know when you are attempting to drive that fast and you are not making a mistake, it’s not, 'Oh sorry I’m just a little over the speed limit,'” Gilbert said. “It’s street takeover-type style vehicles, high-end vehicles, motorcycles. We are seeing a wide variety of types of vehicles.”
In six targeted operations between June and August, the agencies made 340 traffic stops, issued 265 citations and 78 warnings, according to the Hilliard Division of Police, which led the efforts.
No further operations are planned but HPD plans to continue monitoring the issue.
Jason hopes the reckless driving stops, before a tragedy.
“If I keep hearing it I am going to keep calling and encourage my neighbors to do the same before someone gets killed out there,” he said.