WESTLAKE, Ohio — Residents in Westlake say they’re tired of hearing loud cars driving recklessly through the area, as police step up patrols to put a stop to it.
At Crocker Park, people usually come to shop, grab a bite to eat, or simply enjoy a walk. But sometimes, they’re met with the sound of revving engines or the squeal of tires on pavement.
"Just driving aggressively for whatever reason, they need to get somewhere quickly, or they want to show off their performance vehicle. There's number of reasons, especially at Crocker Park, there's a lot of pedestrians out and things like that. People kind of like to show off,” said Captain Jerry Vogel, Westlake Police Department.
Westlake police say that as the weather warms up, they tend to see more reckless driving. In this video, officers chase a BMW speeding down I-90. At one point, the driver weaves around a police unit. That driver was later caught and detained—but police say this kind of behavior is often seen near Crocker Road.
"It's a reckless operation we give. Well, we'll cite with a lot of noise complaints. We will because of the loud the loud exhausts,” said Vogel.
Vogel adds they’re not just concerned about the safety of other drivers, but also pedestrians and those on e-bikes.
"They will zip across streets and across crosswalks and things like that, sometimes not looking where they're going. So, we do ask drivers just be on the lookout,” said Vogel.
Patrols have been increased, and officers are working with Crocker Park management on additional safety measures.
Nadeen Abusada is a Cuyahoga County and immigration reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Instagram NadeenAbusada or email her at Nadeen.Abusada@wews.com.
