ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Pete police are warning drivers that plowing through flooded streets could cost you.

For the first time, officers have the authority to issue tickets to motorists who create damaging wakes by driving too fast through high water. The crackdown comes after local lawmakers successfully pushed a bill through Tallahassee aimed at protecting flood-prone neighborhoods statewide.

The backstory:

The calls for help started in Shore Acres, more than a decade ago. For years, homeowners in Shore Acres have watched drivers cruise through floodwaters, sending waves of water straight into their homes.

"Maybe they should just come out and stand for a moment and see the damage they caused," said resident Tracey Colton.

Another resident added: "If you put up a wake and flo

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