Police Arrest 15, Seize Cars After Long Island Street Takeover

Fifteen people were taken into custody, and seven cars were seized after police responded to an alleged street takeover that turned a Long Island road into a danger zone early Saturday morning. Authorities say the incident involved reckless driving, burnouts, and donuts performed by drivers who gathered spectators along the way. The Suffolk County Police Department told reporters its Street Takeover Task Force learned about the planned event through intelligence gathering and social media monitoring before Friday night on August 14. Investigators found the group was getting ready to stage a takeover somewhere within Suffolk County, an area that covers roughly 1,000 square miles across the eastern two-thirds of Long Island. Police tracked the mob as it moved between several locations throughout the night.

Officers first broke up attempts near Commack Road and Sunrise Highway in Islip before disrupting another effort near Route 112 and Main Street in Patchogue. The final interception happened around 12:50 a.m. Saturday near Woodside Avenue and Sawgrass Drive in Medford, where officials said numerous vehicles had effectively shut down the roadway. "Numerous vehicles effectively closed down the roadway on Sawgrass Drive by driving recklessly, performing stunts in the roadway, and doing donuts and burnouts," police stated. Members of the Street Takeover Task Force responded to that specific scene, arresting 15 people, impounding seven vehicles, and handing out multiple traffic tickets according to the department. Those arrested came from communities across Long Island and New York City.

Fourteen of the 15 suspects were charged with both participating in an unlawful speed contest and spectating an unlawful speed contest. This crackdown comes just weeks after another massive street takeover rocked Suffolk County. In that earlier incident, police said at least 200 ATVs, dirt bikes, and motorcycles flooded roads in Hauppauge and Brentwood during the July Fourth weekend, prompting another major law enforcement response. Three people were arrested, and 10 vehicles were impounded during that operation according to Suffolk County Police. The Suffolk County Police Department could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.