8 arrested in connection with illegal motorcycle racing near northwest Dallas, police say

Eight men were arrested Sunday near northwest Dallas and are facing charges related to illegal motorcycle racing on the highway, according to police.

In an email Sunday evening, Dallas police spokesman Michael Dennis said the arrests were part of an operation that targeted motorcyclists speeding in the department’s Northwest and North Central patrol divisions.

Officers learned the people involved in the motorcycle race were at the intersection of Interstate 635 and Luna Road, where they were arrested around 1:30 p.m., according to police.

Robert Bruce, 30; Jonathan Hernandez, 25; Francisco Perez-Suarez, 39; Zain Raza, 30; Walat Sindi, 24; and Mohammad Zebi, 22, are accused of racing on the highway. All of the motorcycles at the scene were towed, Dennis said.

Fares Matar, 28, is facing an obstructing a highway charge, and Ahason Abdallah, 31, is accused of being a spectator.

Multiple “street takeovers,” which are gatherings of cars and people that shut down traffic, were reported in Austin last week. An Arlington man who was arrested at one of the illegal events is facing multiple charges, including evading arrest, obstructing a highway and theft of a firearm.

In response to the recent number of illegal car meets, where motorists have been seen doing “doughnuts” in crowded intersections, Gov. Greg Abbott announced he had started a taskforce to “combat the rise in dangerous street takeovers happening across Texas.”

The Dallas Police Department started its first Street Race Task Force in 2018. Officers who part of the task force specialize in enforcing state traffic laws and city ordinances related to illegal racing, said Kristin Lowman, a Dallas police spokeswoman. One of the responsibilities of the task force is to handle calls related to street racing and takeovers.