INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night introduced a proposal to crack down on illegal street takeovers and reckless driving.

City-County Council members will hear people’s comments about the proposal during the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the City-County Building. That will be a public hearing so anyone wishing to speak can comment on this issue then.

Deby Abel, a resident of the far-east side, came to the Monday night introduction of the proposal. She told News 8 that she is significantly affected by the noise and the danger from the car meet-ups in her neighborhood.

She says the proposal does not go far enough to tackle this problem and needs stronger punishments for anyone involved in these activities.

The proposal would require the city to impound these cars for a minimum of 30 days.

Car owners would be required to pay a $150 towing fee and a $30 daily impound fee for each 2024 hours the car is impounded. Victims of car theft are not responsible for these fees.

Abel wants to see the ordinance require the car to be impounded while offenders work their way through the legal system, and she wants to see the owners pay a strong daily impound fee.

“You take their car away? They’re going to be hurting,” Abel said.

If caught and convicted, anyone participating in or promoting these events would be fined $250, and spectators would be fined $100.

“They could care less about $250,” Abel said. “It’s not hard for them to raise $250.”

Abel fears for her safety during the car meet-ups in her neighborhood. “It sounds like it’s in my backyard and you can hear the screaming and yelling, and I’ve watched the videos, and it’s not only unsafe for us in the neighborhood coming and going, and we’re afraid to go out at night. It’s the kids that are involved. Somebody’s going to get hurt.”

At least one person was hurt during a spinning event in 2023, according to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

These car meet-ups also have a lot of violent run-ins with law enforcement that end in damage to cars and safety risks.

“The disrespect for law enforcement is just out of control,” Abel said.

Previous Coverage

• Police crack down on spinning with weekend arrests
• Councilors propose impounding cars involved in street takeovers
• Democrats propose new fines, impounds for street takeovers
• Weekend of mayhem on Indianapolis streets; 7 arrested so far
• IMPD adds to arrest tally for spinning, street takeovers
• Law enforcement prepares to crack down on weekend street takeovers
• Louisville seizing cars used in street racing and spinning, will Indy follow?