Shocking moment 'boy racers' crash sending car into crowds

A '70mph boy racer' crash at a 'Fast and Furious'-style car meet has been branded an 'accident waiting to happen' today by residents who say they have repeatedly warned police over the dangers.



A Nissan 350z clipped a black Toyota GT86 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, at the monthly event, sending both vehicles ploughing into huge crowds that had lined the roadside.



Julian Castano, 22, was allegedly driving at 70mph in the Nissan while the driver of the Toyota has been named locally as Dominic Brown, from St Albans.



The Nissan was sent flying across a central reservation while the Toyota went careering to its left by the impact, smashing into more spectators who were on the pavement and a grassy bank behind it. Witnesses said the Toyota had performed a 'reckless donut stunt' moments before the crash, and the driver had to be cut free from the vehicle by emergency services.



Residents nearby have repeatedly slammed the event - which was advertised on social media - and called on Hertfordshire Police to shut it down 'hundreds of times'.



Harrowing footage from the scene in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, showed screaming spectators, many of them just teenagers, desperately trying to help badly wounded victims after they were 'sent flying'.



Relatives told MailOnline Mr Castano, a carpenter, from Ingatestone, Essex, was involved in the crash today and said he 'needed time with his family' but refused to speak further. He has previously shared pictures of the Nissan on social media and referred to it as the 'smiling maker'.



Meanwhile Mindaugas 'Mindy' Dambrauskas, 26, said he was Mr Brown's passenger in the Toyota and said the collision pushed them 20 yards across the road and into the pavement 'knocking people over like bowling pins'.



Today Chief Inspector Alicia Shaw said police were 'unaware' of last night's event despite it being shared on Facebook earlier in the day with almost 300 people registering their interest.



It also comes despite footage being unearthed of a meeting last month showing drivers doing a 'circuit' up and down the road in front of similar crowds of people, with some vehicles mounting the central reservation deliberately while hordes of people watch on.



The footage also showed police cars and a marked van at the scene and Chief Insp Shaw said officers have previously been out to the same road and seized cars being driven dangerously - but she maintained officers had no prior knowledge of last night's meet.