WATCH: Driver nearly hits NOPD unit while doing donuts on Claiborne Avenue

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A man has been arrested after being caught on camera doing donuts dangerously close to a New Orleans police unit.

Weekend crowds gathered near the intersection of Claiborne Avenue and Columbus Street as the fearless driver of a red Camaro spun donuts, nearly hitting an NOPD unit.

“What I’m seeing is a total disrespect of the law,” says New Orleans City Council Member Eugene Green. “He’s showboating for the general public if you will, those who were there and those on social media.”

Police identified the driver as 24-year-old Shon R. Claiborne. He was arrested on Wed., May 18 on a charge of reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

In the video, you can see the police lights are on. The officer gets out of the marked unit but the reckless behavior continues. The driver fishtails down Claiborne Avenue and the crowd watches.

“The officer who was there showed great restraint. I know it’s got to be tough to sit there and see that done but he had people in front of him; people all around,” says Green.

City Council’s Eugene Green highlighted the problem in recent weeks where lawless activity unfolded in the middle of neighborhoods. Stunt driving has also happened downtown while men wielding guns hang out of their car windows.

Green says it’s time for it to stop. He’s proposing an ordinance that will amend the city code, making it illegal to perform stunts and donuts in an automobile.

“This stunt of going around and around and tearing up tires and creating smoke and sometimes sitting in the windows is absolutely the most ridiculous thing that one could do with a car, but it’s a two to three thousand pound vehicle that is going to kill somebody.”

CONTINUING COVERAGE

N.O. Councilman calls for action to stop reckless drivers

NOPD seeks three for questioning in CBD drifting as incidents become more prominent and widespread

NOPD seeks ‘persons of interest’ in connection with February reckless driving exhibition in CBD

If the ordinance passes, the NOPD may not be able to arrest people on scene, but he says technology will be helpful.

“You could be followed throughout this city with cameras that are on buildings. At the end of the day, they’ll be able to figure out who it was that did the activity and it’s just a matter of enforcing what the law is...30 days in jail, $500 in fines and more.”

The ordinance will be voted on by the full council at next Thursday’s council meeting.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2022 WVUE. All rights reserved.