Tougher Stance on Drag Racing: Michael Nolan Law Proposed

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Bipartisan legislation aimed at punishing drag racers is being jointly sponsored by Legislator David Tubiolo (R Mount Vernon, Yonkers) and Legislator Virginia Perez (D Yonkers). The law would provide law enforcement with better tools to charge, prosecute and punish people who participate in drag racing on Westchester's streets. It's been dubbed the Michael Nolan law in memory of the Westchester man who was shot dead in a drive-by stemming from a drag race dispute.

Some new penalties being contemplated in drafting the legislation include higher fines, jail time, license-revocation and vehicle seizure. The new law will also try to broaden the evidentiary requirements to bring a charge of drag racing. Now in New York State penal law, the lawmakers said, it is very difficult for police and prosecutors to prove that individuals are engaged in a speed contest as opposed to just two cars driving side by side, speeding.

The legislation was taken up jointly by the Board of Legislators Public Safety Committee and Legislation Committee on Monday. At the Committee meeting, Legislators heard directly from James Nolan Jr., brother of Michael Nolan, a Yonkers man who was killed by gunfire in a fast-food parking lot that resulted from a drag racing dispute days after the drag race took place.

Michael Nolan’s parents Donna and Jimmy were also present at the committee meeting.

Following the meeting, James Nolan Jr. said, “The Michael Nolan Law is an important law that will be passed to help save lives, drag racing needs to be shut down in our communities and the people that are involved and responsible need to be stopped. The law will help save lives and this is why I brought it personally to The Westchester County Legislators. The legislators and myself will make sure that this law goes into act to stop this unlawful act and that people pay for these crimes!”

Four people have pleaded guilty in the drive-by shooting of Nolan, a Westchester resident who had once been drafted by the Oakland Athletics. Nolan was struck in the head by a bullet while standing in a Burger King parking lot on Central Park Avenue in Yonkers Sept. 18, 2015. Nolan was standing outside his black Mercedes loaner car when a white Toyota Camry slowly rolled up alongside, according to prosecutors. Six shots rang out from the back driver’s side window of the Camry — one of which struck Nolan in the head. The investigation revealed that the shooting was in retaliation for the beating of another man and also related to events that took place during a drag race two nights before.

"Our top priority is the safety of our residents, this law will help prevent future drag races from occurring, simultaneously penalizing the participants and organizers," Legislator David Tubiolo, the co-sponsor of the law said. "The perils of Drag Racing don't stop in cars, they're continued through betting, competing, organizing and its overall culture. As the original Sponsor of this law, we've dedicated in honor and memory of Michael Nolan, whose life was taken from the effects of Drag Racing culture."

Legislator Virginia Perez said the Nolan’s story touched her deeply as the sister of a man who was also senselessly killed by gun violence.

“As families who have been torn apart by gun violence we obviously can’t bring our loved ones back but we can stand up to a culture that too often involves high stakes wagering, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars, dangerous behavior that disregards the safety of participants, bystanders and the public and in some cases like Michael Nolan’s, deadly violence,” Perez added, “We need to treat these events which are promoted through social media like the organized criminal enterprises which they are. We must hold the promoters, racers and anyone else who takes part in these races accountable.”

SEE ALSO: Mount Vernon Man Pleads Guilty to Single Charge in Michael Nolan's Death