Proposal could make it easier for law enforcement to seize vehicles used in illegal street races

TAMPA, Fla. - A proposal expected to be discussed during the March legislative session could make it easier for law enforcement to seize vehicles used during illegal street races and intersection takeovers.

State Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Miami-Dade, revealed first to FOX 13 that he plans to propose toughening the laws against people who participate in dangerous illegal car meet-ups.

READ: HCSO touts more arrests in countywide street racing crackdown

"I'm aiming for this to actually be a deterrent. I do want to see people prosecuted. I do want the message to resonate that you can't come to Florida to do this," Pizzo said.

Last year, lawmakers passed a bill proposed by Sen. Pizzo that made illegal street racing and intersection takeovers misdemeanors. The law also allows law enforcement to use video posted online and on social media as evidence to make arrests.

But Pizzo said it's clear the law isn't tough enough, following two weekends of street racing busts in Hillsborough County that resulted in 23 arrests and the death of Ethan Martin, 13. St. Petersburg police said Martin died while attending a race with his father, who is now facing charges.

RELATED: Father charged for son's death during illegal street racing crash in St. Pete

"Repeated violations and convictions under the same exact statute, under the same exact law, just objectively, it naturally follows that they should be stepped up as far as penalties," said Pizzo, "otherwise you're incentivized to re-offend because it doesn't increase the penalty."

Pizzo said he wants to see the crimes reclassified as felonies. More importantly, however, he wants to make it easier for law enforcement to confiscate vehicles used to commit these offenses.

"You know what does resonate? Take away their cars," Pizzo said. "You start showing massive seizures of kids cars, which is obviously the essential element in instrumental all of this...and they can't get them back, and they're going to auction, they may move on to something else."

Former Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said authorities can have trouble making an impactful number of street racing arrests.

MORE: 14 arrested in connection to illegal street racing over Gasparilla weekend

"Normally most law enforcement agencies will not pursue just for a traffic violation, which is what this starts out as," said Dugan, adding he believes seizing cars is the best deterrent. "I think having the ability to confiscate a car and forcing the owner to come down and talk to the police would go a long way in putting a stop to this thing. And seizing the vehicles may seem extreme, but I think that's where we're at."

Pizzo said because the filing deadline has passed for new legislation proposals, he will try to propose this as an amendment to the current law.