'I Couldn't Protect Allie That Night' Says Street Racing Victim's Mom, Grateful for Police Crackdown
TLBBHMAP3-U010ALB5ANM-348f959abae2-512-300x300-1
By Jim Jakobs, Digital Producer
Published 3 years ago on
February 23, 2021
Fresno Police Department Press Briefing on illegal street racing operation. (Jahz Tello) February 23, 2021

Share

Photos of three young victims of illegal street racing were laid out on a table in front of Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama on Tuesday afternoon.

Sanger High School senior Allison “Allie” Chang, 17, and her cousins, Linda Chang, 21, and Christopher Vang, 27, died after a speeding car ran a red light at Palm and Bullard avenues on Dec. 26 and smashed into their vehicle.

“I couldn’t protect Allie that night,” her emotional mother Dana Xiong said during a news conference highlighting the results of a speed racing crackdown by police this past weekend. “Today, I am speaking out in hopes that safer streets may protect someone else’s life.”

“Today, I am speaking out in hopes that safer streets may protect someone else’s life.” – Dana Xiong, mother of speed racing crash victim Allison Chang

By the end of a five-hour multiple police agency operation Saturday night, officers had written a total of 189 citations. In addition, police impounded 44 vehicles, seized two guns, cited three street racers, and arrested 10 people on DUI charges.

And if anyone is still thinking about illegally racing on the streets of Fresno, “get the hell out of our town!” Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi said. “We don’t want to see it anymore.”

A Night She Won’t Forget

Xiong said she’s thankful for the officers’ efforts Saturday night to put the brakes on illegal street racing. But she’s still haunted by the midnight phone call she received in late December.

“These are the things I will never forget,” she said. “I’ll never forget the prayers that I said on the drive to the hospital.” At the time, she didn’t even know which hospital Allison had been taken to.

While the last of the funerals concluded on Feb. 8, Xiong said, her pain and grief will last a lifetime.

A local pharmacist donated three burial plots for the victims in Belmont Cemetery.

“Allie being the youngest rests in the middle, her two cousins Linda and Christopher on either side,” Xiong said.

She says Allison’s brothers and surviving cousins believe she will now be protected forever by the two others that lost their lives in the crash.

Police Chief Paco Paco Balderrama

“We understand the dangers. That’s why we’re getting involved.” – Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama

Balderrama says the weekend’s operation won’t be the last one.

“We understand the dangers. That’s why we’re getting involved,” said Balderrama. “We will continue to participate in these types of operations until you see a significant reduction in street racing.”

Eighty-five officers took part in Saturday night’s operation.  Fresno police, joined by the California Highway Patrol, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Bureau of Automotive Repair, began the enforcement action around 8 p.m.

In addition to officers on the ground, a CHP plane and the Fresno Police helicopter were overhead. Along Blackstone, officers could be seen pulling people over every few blocks, writing tickets, and impounding cars.

Balderrama says his department had to get a little creative because of understaffing issues and an ongoing gang operation.

“It takes a little bit of overtime money. It takes some grant money to bring extra officers into these operations,” said Balderrama. “But we’ve gotten it done.”

No One Claims to Be a Street Racer

“Nobody ever admits to street racing.” – Fresno Police Deputy Chief Mike Reid

GV Wireâ„  asked Fresno Police Deputy Chief Mike Reid if the three street racers that were cited over the weekend had anything to say about being caught.

“Nobody ever admits to street racing,” said Reid. “It’s something that we observe, something that we document, something we take action on.”

Street racing citations coupled with insurance premiums hikes of as much as 50%, expenses from court fees, citation fines and impound costs, could cost convicted racers as much as $16,000, police say.

Fresno Street Racing Laws Petition

Even though the City of Fresno Police Department and other agencies teamed up to crack down on speed racing, Xiong still wants the community to sign an online change.org petition titled, “Demand Fresno Enforce California’s Street Racing Laws.”

“These are our streets,” said Xiong. “When our loved ones get into a car, it shouldn’t be the last time.”

Xiong’s goal is to get 5,000 people to sign the petition as a symbolic act of defiance against anyone thinking about engaging in street racing.

Allison Chang (top left), 17, and her cousins, Linda Chang, 21, and Christopher Vang, 27, were all killed after a speeding car ran a red light at Palm and Bullard avenues. (GV Wire/Jahz Tello)
[activecampaign form=25]

DON'T MISS

Records Show That Valley Children’s Leader Suntrapak’s Pay Exceeds $5 Million

DON'T MISS

Will FUSD Trustees Look First Only at Internal Candidates in Superintendent Search?

DON'T MISS

The 49ers Have Been Docked a 2025 Fifth-Round Draft Pick for an Accounting Error

DON'T MISS

Fresno Bank Sued. It Allegedly Helped Bitwise Commit Fraud.

DON'T MISS

Ohtani to Begin Throwing Program Soon. Roberts Hints Dodgers Star Might Play in the Field

DON'T MISS

United Airlines CEO Tries to Reassure Customers That the Airline Is Safe Despite Recent Incidents

DON'T MISS

Brothers Say They Found Amelia Earhart’s Plane, Will Donate It to Smithsonian

DON'T MISS

These Fresno Eclipse Chasers Are Hoping For 4 Minutes of Darkened Bliss in Texas

DON'T MISS

California Isn’t on Track to Meet Its Climate Change Mandates — and a New Analysis Says It’s Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After a Standout 10-Year Career With the Rams

No data was found

The 49ers Have Been Docked a 2025 Fifth-Round Draft Pick for an Accounting Error

3 hours ago

Fresno Bank Sued. It Allegedly Helped Bitwise Commit Fraud.

bitwise /

3 hours ago

How California’s Prized Solution for Methane Gas Is Backfiring on Farmers

environment /

6 hours ago

Supreme Court Seems Favorable to Biden Administration Over Efforts to Combat Social Media Posts

6 hours ago

Putin Extends Rule in Preordained Russian Election After Harshest Crackdown Since Soviet Era

7 hours ago

Ohtani to Begin Throwing Program Soon. Roberts Hints Dodgers Star Might Play in the Field

7 hours ago

Trump: Some Migrants Are ‘Not People’, There’ll Be a ‘Bloodbath’ if I Lose

7 hours ago

Tech Lawyer and Philanthropist Nicole Shanahan Rumored as RFK Jr.’s VP Pick

news /

7 hours ago

March Madness is Here. UConn, Purdue, Houston and North Carolina Get Top Seeding in NCAA Tournament

8 hours ago

Crafts Retailer Joann Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy as Consumers Cut Back on Pandemic-Era Hobbies

8 hours ago

Records Show That Valley Children’s Leader Suntrapak’s Pay Exceeds $5 Million

â– Valley Children’s paid CEO Todd Suntrapak $5.2 million in 2021. The hospital also gave him a $5 million forgivable home loan. â– The Va...
Healthcare /

2 hours ago

3 days ago

Realtor Association Settles Lawsuit on Commission Rules. Fresno Broker Fears the End of Market Transparency

3 days ago

Prosecutor Leaves Georgia Election Case Against Trump After Relationship With District Attorney

3 days ago

Rory McIlroy’s 65: 10 Birdies, 2 Tee Shots in the Water, 1 Testy Dispute

3 days ago

Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After a Standout 10-Year Career With the Rams

3 days ago

New Book Explores the Myths, Truths and Legacy of the Macho Man

3 days ago

Baseball Superstar Ohtani and His Wife Arrive in South Korea for Dodgers-Padres MLB Opener

3 days ago

India’s New Citizenship Law Excludes Muslims. Here’s What to Know

3 days ago

US, G-7 Allies Warn Iran to Back Off Deal to Provide Russia Ballistic Missiles or Face New Sanctions

Photo of San Francisco 49ers' Arik Armstead

3 days ago

Former 49ers DT Arik Armstead Agrees to a 3-Year, $51 Million Deal with the Jaguars, AP Source Says

3 days ago

Supreme Court Rules Public Officials Can Sometimes Be Sued for Blocking Critics on Social Media

Search