Ohio enforces a new legislation that strengthens penalties for “hooning” activities. These activities involve drivers who showcase their skills in street intersections by performing tire-spinning donuts that produce smoke, also known as spinouts.
On Wednesday, Gov. Mike DeWine signed the anti-hooning/street racing bill into law in Columbus, with several notable attendees present, including Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr., former Montgomery County Sheriff and current state Rep. Phil Plummer.
Last month, Mike Campbell, a News Center 7 journalist who has been monitoring the progress of the bill through the legislature, reported that law enforcement officials and prosecutors in Ohio now have greater authority to combat dangerous driving. This is due to the fact that the law has elevated the offense from a mere traffic violation to a first-degree misdemeanor or even a felony.
Spectators can now be ticketed by law enforcement.
Law enforcement can now charge drivers who evade them with a third-degree felony, which may result in a jail sentence.
According to State Representative Andrea White, who co-sponsored the bill alongside Plummer, it is time to take action and equip law enforcement with better tools to prevent street takeovers. White emphasizes the importance of preventing innocent citizens from getting hurt and believes that the legislation will help enforce the law more effectively.
Under the new law, law enforcement will no longer have the power to confiscate the high-performance cars that are often involved in hooning incidents.
In the legislation, the Ohio House had included the provision, which was later eliminated by the Senate.
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