Drag Racing On The Saw Mill: Westchester Cops Make Arrest

Westchester County Police arrested a 19-year-old Thursday after observing an illegal speed contest occurring on the Saw Mill River Parkway.

“Drag racing poses a danger to the motoring public. In addition, the noise coming from vehicles associated with this activity is a significant quality-of-life issue for residents who live along our parkways,” Public Safety Commissioner Thomas A. Gleason said in announcing the arrest and other enforcement measures. "The Westchester County Police continue to address this issue in a variety of ways, including conducting targeted enforcement on our parkways and participating in a task force with other law enforcement agencies in southern Westchester."

The arrest came as two county officers assigned to watch for illegal speed contests observed two cars racing just after midnight on the southbound Saw Mill River Parkway near Palmer Road. The two speeding vehicles weaved in and out of traffic, putting other drivers on the road at risk.

Officers pursued the vehicles and were able to bring one of them to a stop near McLean Avenue.

Joshua Cabrera, of East 129th Street, Manhattan, was taken into custody and his vehicle, a 2018 Nissan Altima, was impounded. He was booked at County Police headquarters in Hawthorne and charged with Unauthorized Speed Contest, a misdemeanor, and Speeding, Unsafe Lane Change and Insufficient Tail Lamps, violations.

He was released on a desk appearance ticket and is due in Yonkers City Court on Oct. 29.

In addition, as part of an ongoing crackdown on drag racing and noise caused by vehicles with loud mufflers, County police wrote 17 summonses in the early morning hours for violations such as speeding, inadequate exhaust systems and other equipment violations.

Gleason said that the County police will continue targeted enforcement on the Saw Mill River Parkway and Bronx River Parkway and will continue to participate in a multi-agency task with the Greenburgh, Yonkers and New York State Police departments.

He noted that on one single summer weekend, the task force issued almost 150 summonses on and around the Saw Mill River Parkway, Bronx River Parkway, Sprain Brook Parkway and New York State Thruway. Arrests, summonses and impounds continue to occur to deter drag racing and loud noise by cars and motorcycles, he said.