Shock moment 'Fast & Furious' drivers race and let off fireworks at street festival as Instagrammer ringleaders jailed
09/17/2024 06:26 AM
THIS is the frightening moment fireworks are set off to mark the start of an illegal street race.
Multiple cars were spotted gearing up to participate in a illegal race along public roads in Birmingham after the explosion.
The video catches the start of a street race which was signalled by a red fireworks followed by a cluster of cars turning into a busy main road.
In the next clip another race is started using traffic lights, with two people at the red light with their hands out at.
As the video finishes, helicopter footage is shown of a car doing stunts, spinning in circles, caught with an infrared camera.
It follows the car as it travels along the dark roads, keeping the vehicle within the yellow focus marks.
Instagram organisers Ahzi Nagmadin, 24, Jessica Roberts, 30, and Rashani Reid, 32, have been jailed for their involvement.
West Midlands Police described the potentially lethal behaviour as “festivals of dangerous driving”' and have put the illegal street race organisers behind bars.
All three pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance and were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.
Retail worker Nagmadin and nursery worker Roberts have been jailed for three years, and Reid faces four years and two months after all being involved in multiple incidents in 2020 and 2021.
Under Operation Hercules, West Midlands Police counter gatherings, racing and spectating across Birmingham and the Black Country.
Operation Hercules team member Det Con Mark Campbel said the three were involved with countless illegal meet-ups, many during lockdown.
He said: “Reid was exposing countless people to the risk of serious injury or death on the roads.
"Reid wanted to be a social media influencer, but this was described as 'warped and misguided' by the judge.”
The trio organised the motoring events through social media platform Instagram with an account called the ‘Birmingham Outlaws.’
The account last posted a ‘clutch slipping’ video a year ago to it’s 14.6k followers.
A YouTube channel of the same name posted content with titles like “Two Fast Mitsubishi Evo Going Head To Head (Crazy Ending)’ and “**Rematch** Honda Integra Kswap Turbo vs Audi S4 Big Turbo.”
“Busy and enthusiastic organiser” Nagmadin and coordinator Reid both used the online platforms to advertise the events while Roberts promoted the street races using group chats on her phone.
West Midlands police said they found more than 100 pages of messages organising illegal events on the childcare worker’s mobile.
The street races, which often included dozens of vehicles, took place on public roads including Fort Parkway in Erdington, the A47 Saltley Road between Star City and the city centre.
Residents revealed they were so sick and tired of the noise pollution and safety hazards they were tempted to move house.
Judge Peter Cooke condemned the behaviour as a “blight on the lives of people in this city.”
He added: “Racing on public streets or on other public spaces such as car parks causes a huge scale public disorder and nuisance.
“The risks are so blindingly obvious.”
