Arrest Made in I-85 Racing Wreck

Last Edited: Tuesday, 19 Aug 2008, 10:38 PM EDT
Created: Tuesday, 19 Aug 2008, 10:31 PM EDT

Union City Police said Alvaro Gallardo owns the car and was driving it in a race at speeds well over a 100 miles an hour -- weaving in and out of traffic during Tuesday morning's commute. SideBar


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Racing on I-85 Leads to Wreck Near Union City


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Reported by Chris Shaw
Edited by Steve Dixon


ATLANTA (MyFOX Atlanta) -- Police made an arrest Tuesday night in the drag racing accident that shut down part of Interstate 85 during the morning rush hour.

Police said the crash sent an innocent victim to the hospital with serious injuries.

Police have confirmed the arrest of a 24-year-old man who they said was the behind the wheel of a car -- drag racing at high speeds -- on Interstate 85 near Union City Tuesday morning.

But his arrest police said now brings up a bigger question -- why was he allowed to drive in the first place?

Video: Arrest Made in I-85 Racing Wreck
Reported by Chris Shaw


Stickers -- police said -- are proof the car was souped up -- modified they said to go faster and to drag race.

Union City Police said Alvaro Gallardo owns the car and was driving it in a race at speeds well over a 100 miles an hour -- weaving in and out of traffic during the morning commute.

"It's just reckless disregard for anyone's safety to be operating motor vehicles at that speed on an interstate anywhere in metro Atlanta," said Union City Police Officer George Louth.

During that race Gallardo rear-ended a Ford Explorer with so much force it flipped the SUV over, said police.

The woman driving it -- 61-year-old Linda Wiglesworth -- was taken to Atlanta Medical Center with serious injuries.

But Gallardo got away.

"He fled the scene prior to our officer's arrival," said Louth.

Police were able to track this car's tags back to Gallardo. And his family police said, were able to get him to turn himself in.

During interviews Gallardo admitted to being in the country illegally, said police.

But somehow they said -- even without a Georgia driver's license -- he was able to register his car and get up to date tags from Fulton County.

Union City Police said state law prohibits that and it never should have happened.

Gallardo faces several charges including racing, hit and run and driving without an license.

Police are also looking for the car they said he was racing against. All they really know about it is that it appeared to be a white Dodge Neon.

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