CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – A local man is facing a street racing charge after a police officer watched him drift and burn rubber in a crowded North Bridge Street parking lot Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred around 7:20 p.m. outside the Lowe’s at 860 N. Bridge St., where an officer on patrol observed a white BMW drifting and performing a burnout that sent a large cloud of white smoke billowing across the lot.
The officer initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Petro Karpovets. He apologized and asked if he could simply receive a warning for drifting.
He would not be so lucky.
The officer noted the rear tires were still warm to the touch, and a trail of black rubber marks had been left across the paved surface. Compounding the concern was the time of day — the lot was bustling with evening traffic, with nearby businesses including an urgent care clinic, OhioHealth, Pet Land, Kroger, and a fuel station all open and drawing steady foot and vehicle traffic.
Karpovets was placed under arrest and transported to the Ross County Jail on a charge of street racing under Ohio Revised Code 4511.251(6), which defines “stunt driving” as performing burnouts, doughnuts, drifting, or wheelies. He was cited and is scheduled to appear in Chillicothe Municipal Court today.