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Some Rich Jerks Claim Diplomatic Immunity In Beverly Hills Street Race
The man believed to be the owner of the luxury cars that raced through Beverly Hills on Saturday has cited diplomatic immunity. He also allegedly told a journalist, "I could have you killed and get away with it," before throwing a cigarette at him.
Police arrived on the scene after the noise and disruption prompted complaints from neighbors on Saturday, reports the L.A. Times. The LaFerrari and Porsche, captured on a now-viral video were seen whipping around the 700 block of North Walden Drive —blasting through stop signs, narrowly missing other vehicles, and peeling out of driveways before the LaFerrari's engine began to smoke. Neighbors interviewed by CBS L.A. say they believe the cars reached speeds of up to 100 mph on the residential street.
Video journalist Jacob Rogers says he confronted the man he believed was the owner of the cars, and was promptly threatened.
"I told him, 'the press is allowed to be here on the sidewalk on a public street.' He said, '(Expletive) America' and threw a cigarette at me," Rogers said.
By the time police showed up, it was too late to make any citations or arrests. But while they were in the midst of their investigation, police were approached by a man who claimed to own the cars, but denied any reckless driving; plus, he had diplomatic immunity. Police say they're in contact with the State Department regarding the diplomatic status of the owner of the car, and the street legality of the vehicles. The plates on the LaFerrari are from Qatar, and according to blog Auto Gespot, belongs to a member of the Qatari royal family.
10-year-old Ashton Levian was riding his bike at the time and told KTLA, "I was scared to go home, like any second an 80 mile per hour zooming car can come and hit all of us."
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Apparently, this isn't the first time an incident like this has happened in the neighborhood: The Daily Mail reports that several of the neighbors complained that the same drivers often used the street as their personal racetrack.
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