Enough was enough: How a reckless driver on Herndon sparked an uprising in Fresno

It was one doughnut too many.

After several years of putting up with cars racing up and down West Herndon Avenue, and sometimes crashing, residents of northwest Fresno are rising up in anger.

The final straw was a viral video that captured the driver of a red pickup burning doughnuts in a busy intersection on a Saturday afternoon.

Witnesses who noted that the driver could easily have lost control during the stunt at West Herndon and North Milburn, and killed our injured someone, were quick to lash out on social media.

They also reached out to City Councilmember Mike Karbassi for help. Karbassi, in turn, contacted police.

Fresno police response to video

“That was hugely dangerous,” said Fresno Police Deputy Chief Mike Reid on Tuesday, after seeing the video.

He is in charge of traffic enforcement for the department, and said several motorcycle officers who had been part of an anti-violence task force were reassigned to focus on dangerous driving on the busy expressway.

Karbassi said the problems along Herndon have been “happening for years” and involve “souped-up cars,” racing and burning doughnuts. He said after he contacted Reed on Sunday, two motorcycle officers began writing tickets.

“The noise is also an issue,” Karbassi added.

Noise an issue

Marie Lambe, who lives near West and Herndon, agreed about the noise. She said it became so bad recently that she bought a “white noise device” so that she could sleep. Wednesday, she said she’s noticed an improvement.

Matthew Campanile, who lives near Herndon and Fruit, said he has seen the problem getting “worse and worse,” in the 10 years he has been there. He said he hears the same cars “going round and round.”

“I don’t want this to be a one-hit deal,” he said of the crackdown.

He said officials are responding “due to pressure” by the community. He wants police to “stick with this.”

Racing consequence? 30-day impound

Reid said getting that getting a handle on the reckless driving is a matter of balancing department resources. Motorcycle officers are also a great resource for the task force trying to tamp down an surge of shootings in the city, he said.

As for the source of the reckless speeders on Herndon, both Karbassi and Reid believe many of drivers gather near the Blackstone and Nees area, then race down Herndon.

Getting caught racing is an expensive proposition. Police can impound a vehicle for 30 days.

Reid said he’s looked at the video that caused the uproar, and he’s not sure if police can make an arrest, because officers would have to establish who was behind the wheel.

But they would certainly have a talk with the truck’s owner, he added.