Multiple suspects arrested in Atlanta street racing investigation

ATLANTA - Nearly a dozen arrests over the weekend show that metro Atlanta law enforcement still have a long way to go to stop reckless drivers and mobs of spectators from taking over and blocking streets.

The Atlanta Police Department says late Saturday night into Sunday morning, officers were notified about drivers doing donuts and burnouts at major intersections in other nearby counties.

Eventually, the group made its way into Atlanta. For multiple drivers, it would prove to be a big mistake.

In one incident connected to the reckless driving, the APD provided video of a high-speed chase through the streets of Atlanta.

According to officials, an officer responded to the intersection at Peachtree and Lenox Roads and asked a driver of a gray Dodge Charger to step out of his vehicle. Instead, the suspect hit the gas.

In his hurry to get away, the driver ran over stop sticks planted on the road. Officers found his disabled vehicle near East Wesley Road and took the driver into custody.

Investigators say the car had an electronic license plate cover - which can make it difficult for them to identify who the car belongs to during a chase.

The driver, identified as 18-year-old Miguel Pineda-Ricardo, was arrested and charged, and his Charger was impounded.

In total, police say at least 10 people in all were charged and 10 vehicles were impounded as part of the investigation.

"Street racing remains a priority to us, and we will not stop our efforts to eradicate these criminals from our streets. While multiple arrests were made for this behavior overnight, our work is far from over," a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement.