DA urging prosecutors against pressing charges for street racing, deputy DA alleges
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County prosecutors say they are being pressured not to press charges for street racing, street takeovers, and reckless driving.
LA County Deputy District Attorney Tatiana Chahoian said she was "just in a state of shock" after receiving the latest message from George Gascón, urging prosecutors not to pursue charges in case related to street racing, reckless driving and street takeovers.
"Essentially, when we get a case that alleges that people were racing, people were driving recklessly, or people were involved in a street takeover, we would decline those charges, meaning we refuse to prosecute this case, and we would refer it to an office hearing," Chahoian said.
SUGGESTED: LA County DA Race: A look at the candidates trying to unseat George Gascón
She said that during an office hearing, suspects would be offered a class created by MADD on the importance of safe driving, adding, "They get a little talking; it's kind of like going to the principal's office, and there are no repercussions after."
Chahoian said in those instances, there will be no record of a case filing, no conviction for DMV purposes, and no indication the person was involved in reckless driving.
"The same conduct that we're talking about here is the same conduct that results in the death of so many people. It's like saying if somebody shoots at somebody else, and they're a bad shot, and they miss, we're not going to file charges because nothing happened," said Chahoian.
In response to Chahoian's claims, the LA County DA's office issued the following statement:
"When street racing, street takeovers, or reckless driving charges are appropriate, prosecutors regularly file charges. As we saw just last Friday with Rebecca Grossman, our office files charges — and achieves guilty verdicts — in street racing cases when filing is appropriate. For decades, this office has pursued pre-filing diversion for low-level offenders. That practice continues today."
But, Chahoian says, "Low-level offenses are not things that can result in death and that do result in death regularly. Everyone knows what the consequences of this conduct are."