Overview. The crash was reported just after 12:30 a.m. near Foothill Boulevard and Kortum Canyon Road, according to the Calistoga Police Department. Foster also allegedly used "WhatsApp" to perform sex acts with the student over the phone while he was out of town. A 14-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl were also arrested, along with two adults. Here's how index crimes in Santa Rosa County changed from 2019 to 2020: Colin Warren-Hicks can be reached at colinwarrenhicks@pnj.com or 850-435-8680. Information on this page is public information. Updated on: July 27, 2023 / 12:35 PM Police Event Press Log | Santa Rosa, CA When looking at hate crimes related to anti-Black bias, the data shows those crimes increased by 88%, going from 243 in. They were the strongest quakes to affect the city since 1906. Sonoma County Airport Express buses also connect Santa Rosa with Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport. [56] The Chamber's visitors center is in the city-owned old railroad depot at the bottom of Fourth Street, in Historic Railroad Square. There is no normal. No arrests have been made as of press time. SANTA ROSA -- The city of Santa Rosa is taking on alleged sideshow organizers with a novel approach: suing them under the California Fish and Game code for polluting waterways with tire crumbs from reckless driving. [76] Decades later in 1894 the department made its transition to a paid organization. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Two men and two teens were arrested in connection with an alleged gang-related shooting in Santa Rosa, that claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy, according to police. "When the lockdowns began, we did see a significant decrease in calls for service," said PPD spokesman Officer Mike Wood. Twice a year, the FDLE releases a crime report that examines the number of "index" crimes murder, robbery, aggravated assault, rape, larceny, burglary and motor vehicle theft reported by Florida law enforcement agencies. Investigators say the vehicle was stolen, and was involved in an earlier burglary at a cannabis dispensary in Cotati. "After the movie, they went back to Foster's house where he had sex with her," the warrant states. Deer often are spotted roaming the neighborhoods nearer the eastern hills, as deep into town as Franklin Avenue and the McDonald area; rafters of wild turkeys are relatively common in some areas; and mountain lions are occasionally observed within city limits. As of 2014, Santa Rosa has 12 neighborhood shopping centers and 17 commercial districts,[49] including three sizeable shopping malls: Santa Rosa Plaza, with more than 100 merchants;[50] Coddingtown Mall, with over 40;[51] and Montgomery Village, an open-air mall with more than 70 shops, a supermarket, five banks, and a satellite U.S. Post Office. Measurable snowfall is rare in the lowlands, but light amounts sometimes fall in the nearby mountains. Novotny's next court date is scheduled for July 27. The city continued to grow when other early population centers declined or stagnated, but by 1900 it was being overtaken by many other newer population centers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California. Just like in Escambia County, Aloy said the crime numbers in Santa Rosa County were affected by the pandemic. Following that same pattern, the Santa Rosa County Sherriffs Office responded to fewer aggravated assaults, rapes, burglaries, larcenies and car thefts in 2020 compared to 2019. Call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 437-STOP (7867). California has the most older adults with Alzheimer's disease, a new "Eventually Jerrod went home. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake essentially destroyed the entire downtown, but the city's population did not greatly suffer. By offering cash rewards for information leading to indictment or arrests, the program encourages otherwise reluctant callers to provide information. Acts of crime in these neighborhoods are commonly burglaries, graffiti, and violent gang activity. Great blue herons, great egrets, snowy egrets and black-crowned herons nest in the trees of the median strip on West Ninth Street as well as along Santa Rosa Creek and downtown. By the 1820s, before the Carrillos built their adobe in the 1830s, Spanish and Mexican settlers from nearby Sonoma and other settlements to the south were known to raise livestock in the area. The prominent visual features east of the city include Bennett Peak, Mount Hood, and Sonoma and Taylor mountains.[21]. First published on June 25, 2023 / 9:34 PM. . Leona succumbed to her injuries a couple of days later. (KRON) A cyclist was killed after being struck by a pick-up truck in Rohnert Park on Friday, police said. The case of a Santa Rosa man accused of killing his stepbrother is ending in a mistrial. A $2,500 reward is being offered by the Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Rewards Fund for information leading to the arrest of the suspects involved in the shooting. It shows the hard work of the deputies and their commitment to the job," said SRSO spokesman Sgt. Six school employees in Escambia, Santa Rosa counties arrested in 2023 At age 76, he single-handedly and successfully fought back the flames for more than 10 hours using garden hoses. The complaint outlines in detail how the defendants allegedly promoted sideshows on social media and by cellphones, even alleging that they used red herring information about where sideshows would take place and when to throw off suspicious or "Fed" accounts that they feared were spying on them. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. 2020 crime rates: Escambia County authorities speculate COVID-19 factored into lower 2020 crime rates, 2019 crime rates: Report: Murders in Escambia, Santa Rosa spiked last year, overall crime rates dropped. 14 8 ksro.com Update on Santa Rosa Police Chase Involving Stolen Vehicle Involved in Cannabis Dispensary Robbery There is new information about a car chase that ended with five arrests in Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa has served as a location for many major films,[85] including: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Officers distributed valuable emergency resources and answered emergency preparedness questions. The cyclist was on the []. The racial makeup of Santa Rosa was: 119,158 White (59.7% non-Hispanic white), 4,079 (2.4%) African American, 2,808 (1.7%) Native American, 8,746 (5.2%) Asian (1.0% Filipino, 1.0% Chinese, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.6% Indian, 0.5% Cambodian, 0.5% Laotian, 0.3% Japanese, 0.3% Korean, 0.1% Thai, 0.1% Nepalese), 810 (0.5%) Pacific Islander (0.2% Fijian, 0.1% Samoan, 0.1% Hawaiian, 0.1% Guamanian), 23,723 (14.1%) from other races, 8,491 (5.1%) from two or more races. [47] It was second on the list five years earlier. The wettest year was 1983 with 63.07 inches (1,602mm) and the driest year was 1976 with 11.38 inches (289mm). This came after she had previously lost her home in the 2017 wildfires, marking the second major loss in 4 years. His family is devastated and they want answers. Simmons said he believes the policy and personnel changesimplemented when he took office in January will reduce crime moving forward. The Pensacola Police Department experienced a similar situation as calls for service dropped when lockdowns started. A Santa Rosa woman was arrested after her Jeep crashed and caught fire on Highway 101 near Ukiah Sunday, the California Highway Patrol reported. According to the city's 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[48] the city's top employers are: Santa Rosa is also home to notable smaller businesses such as Moonlight Brewing Company, Russian River Brewing Company and ATIV Software. It is the fifth most populous city in the Bay Area after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont; and the 25th most populous city in California. Beginning on the night of October 8, 2017, five percent of the city's homes were destroyed in the Tubbs Fire, a 45,000-acre wildfire that claimed the lives of at least 19 people in Sonoma County. Santa Rosa, California - Wikipedia Winston Hezekiah Foster was charged in February with one count of sex assault of a victim between 16 and 17, Woodham, Beulah art teacher charged for 'sexual relationship' with 15-year-old student. In 2019, Gulf Breeze police responded to four aggravated assaults, 11 burglaries and 58 larcenies. The shooting was reported shortly after 9 p.m. in the 700 block of Sebastopol, where officers found the victim, according to a release from Santa Rosa police. The rate of crime in Santa Rosa is 29.86 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. Investigators are working to determine the cause. The visual arts are represented by the Sonoma County Museum and numerous independent art galleries. SANTA ROSA -- A teenage Santa Rosa boy died late Sunday night after being shot Saturday night. Santa Rosa, CA Crime Rates and Statistics - NeighborhoodScout While school was in session, she told the investigator Foster would have her visit his classroom early Friday mornings so they could have sex in his room's supply closet. Downtown Santa Rosa, including its outskirts and the area south of the Santa Rosa Mall (Wilson and Morgan Street) and Mendocino Avenue area, South Park/Fairgrounds area, Santa Rosa Avenue, West Steele Lane, and the Joe Rodota Trail/Stony Point districts and neighborhoods have been concentrations of homeless people since the 2000s. To find resources on fraud and elder financial abuse, go to Four dogs are recovering after being pulled from a burning vehicle in Petaluma which killed their owner. 101 around 10:20 a.m. on July 23. Rich Aloy. The violent crime rate for Santa Rosa (401.7 per 100,000 people) is slightly lower than the rate of California (411.1 per 100,000 people) and higher than that of the entire U.S. (386.3 per 100,000 people). Benjamin was later arrested in Las Vegas. The victim has been identified as Jeffrey Farinha, a 40-year-old Rohnert Park resident. Santa Rosa's Press Gazette Bay Area dad shot and killed at fast food drive-thru, police say - MSN Santa Rosa can be seen as divided into four quadrants: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest. The epicenters were about two miles (3.2km) north of Santa Rosa. Escambia County's overall crime rate in 2020 was down from 2019 because burglaries and larcenies were significantly lower last year. Jury deliberations lasted about two days. Santa Rosa carjacking footage released - KRON4 Railroad Square. / CBS/Bay City News Service. Tributary basins to Santa Rosa Creek lying significantly in the city are Brush Creek, Matanzas Creek, and Piner Creek. According to a Florida Highway Patrol press release, FHP responded to a single vehicle crash at 1:34 a.m. at the Sheriffs Office. Citing the Fish and Game code, the city says it is unlawful to deposit any petroleum, acid, coal or tar, aniline, asphalt, bitumen or residuary product of petroleum where it can end up in a waterway, or anything that is deleterious to fish, plant life, mammals or bird life. His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 26. According to a 1905 article in the Press Democrat newspaper reporting on the "Battle of the Trains", the city had just over 10,000 people at the time. Laster's next court date is scheduled for Sept. 26. Santa Rosa student pulls out replica gun, prompts lockdown on school's Jayden was stabbed in his chest and back, according to police. Those who entered without permission were subject to harsh penalties. These contain numerous old homes, including many, California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, This page was last edited on 27 July 2023, at 21:32. State Route 12 runs roughly eastwest, and divides the city into north and south sides. Santa Rosa City Hall - 100 Santa Rosa Avenue - Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Built in 1837 for Dona Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo (General Mariano Vallejo's mother-in-law), the Carrillo Adobe was the first home on the site of the future Santa Rosa. As an agency, ECSO recorded significant decreases inlarcenies, burglaries and car theftsin 2020, but experienced increases in every other index crime category. Santa Rosa sits at the northwestern gateway to the Sonoma and Napa Valleys of California's famed Wine Country. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In the summer, fog and low overcast often move in from the Pacific Ocean during the evenings and mornings. "I thought I would never fall in love. Crime Politics Towns Obits Place An Obit Education Santa Rosa insurance broker gets prison for defrauding customers Christopher Ramos was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay. Most accurate 2021 crime rates for Santa Rosa, CA. The Office of the State Attorney has opened a case against Kenny, charging her with cruelty toward a child without great bodily harm. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. ", Head Start teacher charged: Escambia teacher charged with child cruelty for allegedly kicking, throwing 5-year-old. Santa Rosa Jack in the Box. The fire started off Jennings Avenue shortly after 3:30 Sunday afternoon. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The orchestra is made up of professional-level local musicians who volunteer their time. This pattern has been largely maintained in downtown to this day, despite changes to the central square, now called Old Courthouse Square. Here's where you can get help with supplies, the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office announced they fired Deputy David Daniels, Daniels allegedly molested an 11-year-old girl in 2016, SRSO school resource officer arrested, charged with felony lewd or lascivious behavior, What we know about Santa Rosa deputy who was fired after being charged with molesting girl. After determining there were no injures, police found that one of the drivers, 57-year-old Catalina Cadena, had signs of intoxication. [79], SonomaMarin Area Rail Transit (SMART) brought passenger railway back to Santa Rosa for the first time in 59 years, in 2017. View All 21 Photos . However, the report notes the girl "had a clear and consistent disclosure of the incident" and Daniel's wife denied his claim of being awoken after the incident. A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered by the Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Rewards Fund, for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved. [15][16][17] Most homes in the Coffey Park, Larkfield-Wikiup, and Fountain Grove neighborhoods were destroyed. Compare Santa Rosa crime data to other cities, states, and neighborhoods in the U.S. on NeighborhoodScout. On Saturday, July 22, 2023, at approximately 7:47p.m., officers from the Petaluma Police Department were dispatched to the intersection of E Washington St and N McDowell Blvd on report of a collision involving two vehicles. The man, who wasn't able to give officers a description of the shooter, was taken to a hospital. Mexican city of Celaya rocked by cartel violence - BBC News Santa Rosa County Sheriffs deputies didnt have to travel far to arrest someone this morning when a Milton man overturned his vehicle at the agencys main office on East Milton Road Friday, March 31. The city is in the watershed of Santa Rosa Creek, which rises on Hood Mountain and discharges to the Laguna de Santa Rosa. As we age, our risk for developing Alzheimer's disease grows. The median age was 36.7 years. Sonoma Valley Crime & Safety News | Sonoma Valley, CA Patch A 40-year-old San Francisco Bay Area father was shot and killed at a Jack in the Box drive-thru in Santa Rosa on Sunday night during an altercation with two men, Santa Rosa police said. Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said the pandemic affected crime in the first half of the year, but that reprieve was short-lived. The department recorded six fewer rapes, seven fewer aggravated assaults, 36 fewer burglaries and 25 fewer larcenies in 2020 compared to 2019. Local Crime News provides daily updates of arrests in all cities in California. Here's how index crimes in Escambia County changed from 2019 to 2020: Santa Rosa County experienced decreases in every category of index crimes last year, except for small rises in thenumber of murders and robberies, according to the FDLE. According to the U.S. Census, in 1870 Santa Rosa was the eighth-largest city in California, and county seat of one of the most populous counties in the state. [18][19], According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41.50sqmi (107.5km2). The Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities estimated a minimum 27 percent chance of a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake on this segment by 2037. Updated: Oct 4, 2022 / 07:56 AM PDT. As the 2023-2024 school year is set to begin in August, Former Warrington Middle dean charged with soliciting student to remain on GPS monitoring, Santa Rosa schools enter book ban feud with 14 books challenged so far, Warrington dean who pushed for community charter school arrested for soliciting student, Back-to-school season is here in Pensacola. This analysis applies to Santa Rosa's proper boundaries only. There are multiple other gangs, including mostly racially based gangs or racially mixed that commit theft, street and violent crimes, motorcycle gangs, white supremacist gangs, and prison gangs. The median income for a household in the city was $50,931, and the median income for a family was $59,659. The ensemble mounts five productions, which are performed in full rotating Repertory six days a week beginning in mid-June. Authorities searched the victim's phone and found messages allegedly sent by Taylor that said he would "ruin (the victim's) life" and would send someone to her. Officers found a 15-year-old boy in the street without a pulse. On July 9, 48-year-old Michael Taylor, a West Florida High School physical education teacher, was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic battery by strangulation, one misdemeanor count of battery and a misdemeanor count of cyberstalking. Santa Rosa (Spanish for "Saint Rose") is a city in and the county seat of Sonoma County, in the North Bay region of the Bay Area in California. Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said the . We have the information you are looking for. Crime Information that matters. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. In the 1830s, during the Mexican period, the family of Mara Lpez de Carrillo built an adobe house on their Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa land grant, just east of what later became downtown Santa Rosa. But while Escambia County and Santa Rosa counties both recorded decreased crime rates in 2020, neither county came close to matching the state average. Due to its population, much of Santa Rosa's remaining undisturbed area is on its urban fringe. But we are starting to see that go back up slowly, not to the level it used to be, but we are starting to see that come back now that COVID is relaxed a little bit.". SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A man was in critical condition after being shot several times Saturday night on Sebastopol Road in Santa Rosa, police said. Jeffrey Farinha died after being shot at Jack in the Box Sunday. "I look forward to seeing the impact of many of the initiatives that we have in place now, once they take hold," Simmons said. The map determined that the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was most powerful in an area between Santa Rosa and what is now Sebastopol, causing more damage in Santa Rosa (for its size) than any other city affected.[25]. Some of the increase was from immigration, and some from annexation of portions of the surrounding area. Witnesses were unable to give officers detailed information about a suspect, but said the shooter was male, wearing a dark gray hoodie and was with another male. There were 63,590 households, out of which 20,633 (32.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 27,953 (44.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 7,663 (12.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 3,615 (5.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. The SRC&VB has been a California Welcome Center since 2003. Read on. [66], According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Santa Rosa has 91,998 registered voters. SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The family of a man killed in the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant in Santa Rosa wants to honor his memory and make sure those responsible are caught. 2022 Sonoma County homicide rate already highest in decade As of 2011[update], there are an estimated 4,539 homeless people living in Sonoma County, many of whom live in Santa Rosa. [44], 2021 and especially its late spring and summer saw an increase in shootings, violence, homicides, drug, gang, and homeless-related crimes. The Santa Rosa Central Library, the largest branch of the Sonoma County Library system, has a Local History and Genealogy Annex behind it.[53]. They started CPR until paramedics arrived, who were able to revive the teen and take him to a local hospital. Historic residential neighborhoods. [39], The Southeast Asian communities, mainly Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian, are concentrated within the western Santa Rosa neighborhoods of Bellevue Ranch, Roseland, and West Steele areas. It also says that "when he realized she was awake and looking at him he hid the gun behind his back.". As a result, Santa Rosa has a number of old neighborhoods in and around downtown, several historically designated. Average annual rainfall is 32.20 inches (818mm), falling on 74 days annually. Winston Hezekiah Foster was charged in February with one count of sex assault of a victim between 16 and 17, one count of lewd or lascivious behavior of a victim between 12 and 16 and one count of sexual offenses against a student by an authority figure after a State Attorney's Office investigation concluded. Overall crime rates in Escambia, Santa Rosa fell in 2020, but far Officers found a handgun under the victim, several shell casings and other evidence. Santa Rosa, California. The Sheriff's Office in a news release said detectives believe foul play was involved and . All Rights Reserved. "We had very few random acts of violence, but what we do see is acts of violence associated with drug trafficking. In a tragic turnaround of events, Daralyn Schmitt, a Santa Rosa woman fell victim to a devastating fire in Guerneville. While at DCF, the reporting deputy saw the video and "observed (the child) swing her arm and hit Kenny in the leg, at which time, Kenny kicked (the child) in the side knocking her to the ground. There were 67,396 housing units at an average density of 1,624.0 per square mile (627.0/km2), of which 34,427 (54.1%) were owner-occupied, and 29,163 (45.9%) were occupied by renters. The program combines professional directing, design, and production staff with outstanding students in acting, design, technical theater, dance, music, and management. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males. The performing arts in Santa Rosa are represented by Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, the Sonoma County Philharmonic, the Summer Repertory Theatre, the Santa Rosa Symphony, and the 6th Street Playhouse. When the City Council adopted the city's first modern General Plan in 1991, the population was about 113,000. Three new mixed-use, high-rise buildings, and a new city parking garage, are under development. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.14. Arriving at the parking lot of 2755 Santa Rosa Avenue at 11:31 p.m., officers found an unresponsive man who had been shot at least once. A family in North Bay is grappling with a terrible tragedy after a 40-year-old father from Rohnert Park was brutally shot dead in a local drive-thru. Trends Analytics. Guilt is determined by the courts. Laster also allegedly traveled to the student's house unannounced to leave two Four Loko alcoholic beverages outside of the student's window. [10] Its population as of the 2020 census was 178,127. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. Crime information is important. To find help in spotting scams or reporting fraud, go to the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice department: https://consumer.ftc.gov/. Update: 3 Santa Rosa teens arrested in deadly gang-related shooting that killed 15-year-old boy. Subsequently, Vega-Rodriguez and the two minors were arrested on charges including suspicion to commit murder, firearm enhancements, and counts related to their alleged involvement in a gang. Six employees, including three teachers, have been arrested so far in 2023 for a variety of offenses that include physical and sexual assault. Thats kind of appropriate because were going to tell you about a love story.. Santa Rosa grew following World War II because it was the location for Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Santa Rosa, the remnants of which are now located in southwest Santa Rosa. A memorial for Lawson is tentatively set for August 5th at SRJCs Petaluma campus. Names on arrest records will not be withheld by request for any reason. After the shooting, the pair left in a silver sedan and drove west on Sebastopol Road, witnesses told police Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Santa Rosa police at (707) 543-3600, or through an online Tip line: www.SRCity.org/CrimeTips. Jeffrey Farinha, 40, of Rohnert Park was pronounced dead . Lawson worked at Sequoia Senior Solutions, an in-home healthcare service provider owned and operated by his father. None of the defendants in the case appear to have an attorney on record at this time. This is thought to have been the origin of the name of Matanzas Creek; because it was a slaughtering place, the confluence came to be called La Matanza. Sonoma County Transit provides local bus service in the city. U.S. Census records show that after California became a state, Santa Rosa grew steadily, though it lagged behind nearby Petaluma in the 1850s and early 1860s. Jerrod Wade Novotny, a West Florida High School social studies teacher, West Florida High School teacher suspended after arrest for pointing gun at partner, West Florida HS teacher charged with assault pleads not guilty, asks for charge dismissal. [8] It is the largest city in California's Wine Country and Redwood Coast. On Tuesday, a jury acquitted 31-year-old Jude Ian Kellner of first-degree murder, but was deadlocked on the second-degree-murder charge, leading to a mistrial. The old ball and chain has been given a new meaning. Laster given monitor: Former Warrington Middle dean charged with soliciting student to remain on GPS monitoring, Book bans: Santa Rosa schools enter book ban feud with 14 books challenged so far, On Jan. 19, Darreyel Devahn Laster was charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious behavior and one count of obscene communication for allegedly trying to "seduce, solicit, lure or entice" a student from Warrington Middle School to "commit an illegal act or to otherwise engage in any unlawful sexual conduct. In 2020, that rose to six aggravated assaults, 19 burglaries and 61 larcenies. Santa Rosa gun battle between 2 groups of youths leaves boy - CBS News Windsor retiree Elizabeth Gaona is sharing her story in an effort to help other older adults avoid getting ripped off.|. There are an average of 28.9 days with highs of 90F (32C) or more and an average of 30.2 days with lows reaching the freezing mark. I'm sorry I failed to.". SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Two men and two teens were arrested in connection with an alleged gang-related shooting in Santa Rosa, that claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy, according to police. Near Railroad Square, it connects directly to the Joe Rodota Trail, a paved path which goes to Sebastopol. [81], Charles M. SchulzSonoma County Airport located just north of Santa Rosa is served by United, American, Alaska, and Avelo Airlines. In 1906 a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake destroyed most of Santa Rosa. Crime rates in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties dipped when the pandemic hit early in 2020, but as lockdowns lifted, restrictions loosened and things started to return to normal, so too did the crime. This initiative provides a controlled environment for teens to race against local law enforcement officers, allowing the officers to engage in dialogue about safe driving and traffic regulations.