Apr 07, 2008 09:56 PM
Sarah Boesveld
Staff Reporter

Seven people were arrested and their wheels impounded after the sound of revving engines and squealing tires drew police to a Richmond Hill parking lot Saturday.

Police officers in an unmarked car visited a parking lot in the area of Hwy. 7 East and Leslie St. after callers reported these sounds signalling erratic driving.

Once at the lot, officers saw a group of 30 vehicles lined up in a way that appeared to be an organized race. The unmarked cruiser followed the vehicles westbound on Hwy. 7, joining the vehicles as they drove at high speeds, weaving in and out of traffic in what police describe to be a dangerous manner.

Soon marked cars and a helicopter from York Region swooped in, stopping the vehicles on Hwy. 7 just before Keele St.

Seven drivers were slapped with stunt driving charges and had their vehicles and licences taken away for a week.

The stunt driving charges apply under the Highway Traffic Act's new street racing provisions, which took effect Sept. 30, 2007 and under which drivers caught speeding more than 50 km per hour over the limit are charged under the street racing law.

Hani Gaber, 22, of Milton, Nicolca Cina, 33 of Etobicoke, Rodrigo Oliveira, 23, of Oakville Riyad Baksh, 27, of Brampton, Emanuel Valverde, 26, of North York, Edward Deosaran, 44, of Downsview and Mohammed Safraz, 30, of Brampton all face one count of stunt driving.