An early morning crash damaged three, vehicles parked on Soundview Avenue in the Shorehaven section of the borough, and the owner of one of the vehicles said the incident allegedly stemmed from continued drag racing along the desolate strip of road. Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which cars or motorcycles (usually specially prepared for the purpose) compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line.

 

Henry Palayo, a resident of the area and treasurer of Bronx Community Board 9, said he woke up to a loud boom after the crash took place at Soundview Avenue and Stephens Avenue at 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11.

 

Palayo said drag-racers were taking over Soundview Avenue from Gildersleve Avenue to the end of Soundview Avenue at the foot of the East River. He told the Bronx Voice, “Every week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, even during the week they’re drag racing, and they’re going to kill somebody.”

 

Asked if the 43rd precinct was aware of the situation, Palayo replied, “I don’t know, but I’m going to give the captain a piece of my mind, because my car got totaled.” He was referring to his 2007 Saturn that he said had been “in good condition,” prior to the crash.

 

“They [the police] did an accident report, but they have to observe them,” Palayo added, referring to the requirement for police to observe the perpetrators in the act of drag racing in order to take action. He said several of the speeders were later issued summonses.

 

About five cars were involved in the race according to Palayo’s account of what happened. He said at least one of the vehicles allegedly lost control and slammed into several parked cars, including Palayo’s vehicle, the airbags of which then deployed on impact.

 

The new way of drag racing pic.twitter.com/3HHqkZaPRk

— 𐔀𐔠𐔓𐔍 𐔇𐔐𐔒𐔀𐔣𐔍 (@Fushpollogu01) October 11, 2021

 

Meanwhile, in an unrelated video of a drag race posted to Twitter on Oct. 11 (location and date of the incident is unknown), one car is seen reversing at speed at the start of a drag race and crashing into the car behind.

 

News 12 reported that, in response to the Shorehaven incident, local assemblyman, Kenny Burgos, said enough was enough and that he was tired of Soundview Avenue being used as a drag strip.

 

Norwood News reached out to the NYPD for comment on the Shorehaven incident. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.