MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- A Marine driving a brand new Honda S2000 was driving eastbound on SR-52 along side a BMW X5 sport-utility vehicle. Both were driving in excess of 100 mph, witnesses said. The cars side swiped each other and flipped an undetermined number of times, according to the California Highway Patrol media release. No charges have been filed.

Two passengers in the X5 were killed and a third was in critical condition. The Marine escaped with minor injuries. The accident is under investigation, but it appeared the vehicles may have been racing.

"This is obviously one of the end results of street racing, and the most tragic is the result of someone's death," said Cory Ball, CHP investigator.

As of Monday, 10 people have died and 16 others have sustained major injuries due to street racing since Jan. 1.

"If you street race in the city of San Diego, you will eventually get caught and prosecuted," said Bruce Byrd, San Diego police officer, Dragnet unit.

The unit was started Sept. 1, 2001 and is a two-year grant-funded unit. The funds come from the State of California, Office of Traffic Safety.

When the unit first started, the number of cars attending these venues was as high as 1,200 cars with an average of 3 people per car. That number has been cut in half since the unit began.

According to Byrd, the number of military members is increasing at these venues.

The CHP conducts road closures at these sites, blocking the cars inside.

Officers hand out pamphlets on the dangers of illegal street racing and the penalties if caught. The city is attempting to make it illegal to be a spectator at these races. Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles and the City of Ontario has already implemented this law. Riverside is charging spectators with unlawful assembly. Anyone convicted of unlawful assembly can face up to six months in county jail and fined $1,000.

If someone is caught street racing, they will be arrested and their car will be impounded up to 30 days. If convicted of the crime, two points will be added to the driver's record, insurance will increase and the driver's license will most likely be restricted. Also, the driver could be imprisoned up to 90 days and fined $1,000. Anyone convicted of aiding a street race can be imprisoned up to 90 days and fined $500. The end cost could be as much as $6,000, according to Byrd.

If the civilian prosecution files no charges, the Staff Judge Advocate can pursue military prosecution.

If a service member can't resist the urge to race, Qualcomm Stadium and Carlsbad Raceway are legal locations for racing. Times for these events vary around the schedule of the stadium and raceway.

For more information on these legal races, visit www.racelegal.com or call (619) 265-8159.