Compton, Spectating a Street Race, LAMC 13.46.010(a) No File
In late March 2023, our client, a UCLA student, and a few of his friends drove to Compton to watch a “side show” that had been publicized by other students. Our client was intrigued by the “Fast and Furious” movies, so he was curious to see the real thing.
Our client and his two friends then went to the corner of Central Avenue and Caldwell Street, where the side show would happen.
By the time our client arrived in the general location, there were already dozens of cars parked and people milling about on foot, each eager to take a video of the action and perhaps set a selfie of themselves with a background filled with people and custom cars.
However, before our client could even walk to the area with all the other people, he met face to face with a uniformed California Highway Patrol officer handing out tickets to nearly everyone for violation of Los Angeles County Code § 13.46.010(a), “Spectating a Street Race.”
Our client and both of his friends received such a ticket, although it stated violation of L.A.M.C. 13.46.010(a).
The officer had each of the three U.C.L.A. students sign a promise to appear in the Compton Superior Court in about three months. Each one signed the promise and the officer then went along his way to issue more tickets to others, but leaving our client and his two friends with a copy of the ticket.
As the reader of this summary may be aware, section 13.46.010(a) makes it illegal for a person to be “knowingly present as a spectator at any illegal motor vehicle speed contest or exhibition of speed conducted on a public street or highway.” Violation of this relatively new law is a misdemeanor, meaning it is punishable by a maximum of six months in county jail and / or a fine of a maximum of $500, plus penalties and assessments (which can boost the total owed to about $2,400). Los Angeles County Code § 13.46.010(c) states this.
If probation is granted for a violation of this law, the probation is summary, or informal, and lasts one year.
Our client and his friends regarded the ticket as akin to a parking ticket and while they did turn around instead of continuing to walk toward the “action,” none of them considered the ticket as very serious.
Once the three returned to their dorms and apartments closer to U.C.L.A., they discussed what they found out about the violation.
Our client was shocked to find out that he could be sentenced to six months in county jail for attempting to watch a street race. While he understood such street races were dangerous and periodically in the news when a spectator dies or is injured by a racing or sliding car, he had no idea he could serve such a huge amount of time in jail for just watching such an event.
The client then called Greg Hill & Associates, as our office has represented individuals ticketed for such spectating in the past.
The client explained what had happened and wanted to know if he really would face jail time.
Greg’s answer was that he did not even expect the case to be filed, let alone that a resolution would involve a single day in jail. Greg explained that in his experience, such tickets were issued by the dozens to disperse the crowds and, as the legislative findings state in the background to the law, remove the incentive for such races to take place or continue, thereby protecting the public.
Greg acknowledged that some cases were in fact filed, in particular at the Compton Courthouse, but this took place years ago and not recently.
Moreover, Greg explained, our client would most likely be able to resolve the case with judicial diversion, which Greg explained to the client.
The client commented to Greg that he had contacted several other attorneys prior to Greg and each one had stated that our client would likely need an attorney to fight the ticket and that their fee would be several thousand dollars.
Greg then told the client that he would only charge a few hundred dollars to write a letter to the Compton District Attorney’s Office, as well as the CHP, recommending that no case be filed because our client was going to enroll in the “Street Racing Kills” program to educate himself about the dangers of such street racing “side shows.” The client then asked if he could pay Greg to then go to court for him on the day of the arraignment and Greg agreed, further commenting that he really did not think a case would be filed at all.
The client then retained Greg Hill & Associates to write the letters described above and to appear in the Compton Superior Court for the client.
Greg Hill did so and, indeed, no case was filed. Greg relayed this good news to the client via email and told him to cancel his reservation for the “Street Racing Kills” program, unless of course he wanted to take the course anyways.
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