CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The Charlotte Area is seeing a surge in street takeovers.
Law enforcement in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties said they have made multiple arrests since this weekend after multiple street takeovers where cars were seen doing burnouts and setting off fireworks.
Chanelle Tignor saw cars take over the intersection of South Davidson and East Brooklyn Village in Uptown Charlotte on Sunday night just after 7:30 p.m.
“I’ve been living at this complex since about February or so. That’s the first time I’ve actually seen them, but I’ve heard they kind of go around Charlotte, but that’s the first time I’ve seen them outside my apartment,” said Tignor.
This past weekend, CMPD said they responded to ten different takeovers. Two people were arrested for possessing a stolen vehicle, while a third was arrested for resisting an officer.
Two patrol cars were damaged and an officer was injured when someone tried to get away as police moved in to break up one of these takeovers.
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The Iredell County Sheriff told Queen City News that his deputies dealt with similar scenes near Mooresville.
“One of the deputies got out, and we heard there’s over 40 people involved — you know, exact number of vehicles, I don’t know — but over 40 some people involved. So that’s a large crowd to be in the middle of a road, especially where other people are driving up and down that road as well,” said Sheriff Darren Campbell.
On Monday evening, law enforcement broke up a takeover on the 400 block of Barfield Road. Five were charged with reckless driving, street takeover, and injury to real property. Campbell said he has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to takeovers, arguing they pose a serious threat to public safety.
“There’s parents, there’s children that’s riding, trying to get from point A to point B, ball practice, simply traveling our roads. It’s not a racetrack, nor is it a place that you can, you know, careless and reckless drive, it endangers too many other people besides just yourself,” he added.
Both the Iredell Sheriff and CMPD ask drivers to report takeovers when they witness one.
