Two Gwinnett County men accused of racing each other down a busy street Friday afternoon made it easy for police to catch them.
That’s because the race started in front of the Duluth Police Department headquarters, according to the incident report obtained Monday by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. An officer in the parking lot watched the two cars take off, the report states
Officer S. Smith watched around 5:20 p.m. as both a black BMW and a red Corvette each slowed to a stop in the southbound lanes of Buford Highway, the report states. The Corvette inched ahead of the BMW, which then pulled up even with the Corvette, according to police.
“Both vehicles then accelerated at a very high rate of speed and began to race each other southbound on Buford Highway,” the report states. “I immediately placed my vehicle in drive and drove to the exit of the police department.”
With his blue lights and siren on, the officer followed the cars on Buford Highway, where the alleged racers both pulled into the “A Lot of Used Cars” lot, according to police.
The Corvette won the race. But instead of a checkered flag to indicate the end of the race, both drivers found themselves in handcuffs. The driver of the BMW was identified as Jun Suk Lee, 30, of Suwanee. The Corvette’s driver was identified as 42-year-old Michael Rodriguez, also of Suwanee, who owned the used car lot.
“I asked them why they would chose to park in the middle of Buford Highway directly in front of the Duluth Police Department to drag race,” the report states. “Mr. Rodriguez laughed and told me that they had only ‘taken off fast.’ “
When officers checked the dealer tag on the Corvette, they determined the vehicle belonged to a Duluth woman, whom Rodriguez identified as a customer, the report states. Rodriguez allegedly was laughing while asking officers if he could get only a warning since his business and the police department are so close together.
“He then asked me, ‘You’re not going to give me a warning?’ ” the report states. “I then advised him that he was under arrest for racing on the highway and placed him in handcuffs.”
Both men were arrested and handcuffed before being transported to the Gwinnett County jail. Lee was charged with racing, improper stopping and not updating his license within 60 days, according to police. Rodriguez was charged with racing, improper stopping and improper use of a dealer tag, police said.
Following his arrest, Rodriguez allegedly told police he knew he would be found guilty.
“He said that it was a stupid thing for him to do at his age,” the report states. “I told him that at ANY age it wasn’t a good thing to stop in the middle of a state route and block traffic directly in front of a police department to begin a drag race with another vehicle down the road.”
Lee was released from jail at 11:20 p.m. after posting $814.75 bond, booking records show. Rodriguez’s bond was set at $891.75 and he was released shortly before 11:30 p.m.
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