PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a St. Petersburg man was arrested early Saturday morning after driving over 100 mph on the Gandy Bridge into Hillsborough County.
At approximately 1:20 am, authorities said Mario Renard Stephens, 38, passed an FHP trooper and a Pinellas County deputy, on the “hump” in Hillsborough County, according to FHP.
Troopers followed Stephens, who they say was driving at 105 mph, according to the troopers’ radar.
Troopers were eventually able to stop Stephens on Westshore Boulevard and arrested him on a reckless driving charge.
According to authorities, Stephens was a convicted felon and once they stopped him, a loaded firearm, several drugs, and several items of drug paraphernalia were located in his car.
Stephens was also charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
ABC Action News talked with people who live off Gandy and Westshore. They said they not only see people speeding, but they race down Gandy and drive recklessly.
"I live right down this street and it was during Gasparilla. There was two cars blocking both intersections and they started doing donuts and there was smoke and there were different cars speeding straight down Westshore," Priscilla Garcia said.
Robin Roberts also lives in the area. He told ABC Action News this isn’t new.
"You can hear them at night. Every weekend you hear the racers; usually motorcycles, sometimes cars. They’ll line up, go back and forth and across," Roberts explained.
He said he’s lived in this area for about five years and said more police presence has helped. Garcia said more surveillance is needed.
"You can lose control very easily. You never know what can happen. You can hit somebody. You don’t know who’s in that car. You can definitely ruin a lot of people’s lives," Garcia said.
