The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) arrested a 19-year-old driver Saturday night in the latest crackdown on reckless driving and street racing.
According to a social media post from DCSO, deputies took Elmer Maldonado-Hernandez into custody after he arrived at a gas station on L Street, where a car gathering was taking place. Witnesses reported that his unregistered vehicle came “whipping” into the parking lot, fishtailing in circles around gas pumps.
Authorities say Maldonado-Hernandez was found to be over twice the legal alcohol limit. He was also wearing an ankle monitor from a previous driving-related offense. He was booked on charges including willful reckless driving and DUI.
This arrest is part of an ongoing effort by Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson to combat street racing and reckless driving. Since November, Hanson has focused on impounding vehicles and seizing the phones of those involved.
Recent arrests tied to this effort include:
- February: Antonio Grimaldo-Collins was arrested, with DCSO stating he “learned the hard way that driving recklessly and tearing up parking lots will land you in jail.”
- January: Jose F. Herrera was caught street racing at 70 mph in a 35 mph zone. While he was stopped at a red light and arrested, another driver involved remains at large.
- December 2024: Garet Stavos was arrested for high-speed racing near 168th Street and West Center Road.
- Earlier in December: 18-year-old Gautam Gurung was arrested at a street racing meet-up near 120th and Blondo streets. He was later sentenced to a week in jail for flight to avoid arrest.
- December 31: A follow-up investigation led to the arrest of another driver in a black Chevy Camaro, which had been racing a vehicle stopped days earlier.
Sheriff Hanson has stated that many street racers come to Omaha from Lincoln and Council Bluffs, making enforcement a priority.
