Street race included an 8-month-old passenger as speeds hit 93 mph, Florida cops say

Illegal street racing reached a new level of audacity when police in Florida found an 8-month-old brought along for the ride, according to investigators.

The baby was among two juveniles found in the participating cars when drivers were stopped just before 2 a.m. on Friday, July 5, Ocala police said in a news release. Ocala is about an 80-mile drive northwest from Orlando.

“(An officer) observed two westbound cars — a Cadillac sedan and a Toyota sedan — racing in the 3100 block of SW College Road. Using his handheld radar, he recorded a speed of 93 mph in a 45 mph zone,” the Ocala Police Department reported in a July 8 news release.

“(The officer) caught up to the vehicles and stopped the Cadillac in the 3800 block of SW College Road. Driving the Cadillac was (a woman) accompanied by a 15-year-old front-seat passenger. The Toyota also pulled over, and ... had an 8-month-old child in a rear-facing car seat.”

Investigators did not reveal details of the relationship the children had to the two women, both of whom were 22.

“Due to the danger posed to the children in each vehicle, (the drivers) were arrested for child neglect,” police said.

They were also charged with highway racing, officials said.

Southwest College Road is six lanes, and the arrests were made in a stretch that is commercial, including malls and restaurants.

“Racing presents serious dangers, including increased risks of severe accidents and death,” police officials wrote on Facebook.

“We have zero tolerance for highway racing and will do everything we can to ensure that our roads are safe.”

A social media page for one of the arrested drivers reports she is a “digital creator” in Ocala.

This story was originally published July 9, 2024 at 7:49 AM with the headline "Street race included an 8-month-old passenger as speeds hit 93 mph, Florida cops say."