Three arrested, cars seized in Broward crackdown on dangerous street takeovers
FORT LAUDERDALE - Three men were arrested and several cars seized in the Broward Sheriff's Office's latest efforts to crack down on dangerous street takeovers.
According to the sheriff's office, over the last few months, crews of reckless drivers have been periodically taking over intersections throughout the county.
During these takeovers, drivers perform illegal and dangerous stunts, like doing doughnuts, burnouts, and street racing. In addition to endangering the spectators, and the general public, they also damage roadways and instill fear in the surrounding communities, according to the sheriff's office.
Last Friday, detectives in the department's Burglary Apprehension Team learned that there would be a meeting of drivers in Tamarac. Once gathered, the drivers went to the 3500 block of Northwest 56th Street in Fort Lauderdale.
While there, deputies witnessed dozens of drivers, including 40-year-old Mark Quallo, 22-year-old Brandon McLean, and 19-year-old Tyler Barber, drifting and performing other risky stunts, according to the sheriff's office.
Samuel Fourie works in that area. He said businesses there have taken steps to stop the dangerous driving. "We had the speed bumps put in to deter them from coming here. Now they just use it as an obstacle course," Fourie said.
"These guys just show up in their cars, donuts in the parking lot, a bunch of alcohol cans everywhere the really don't care, they're disrespectful," he said.
And he's also found evidence of weapons. "These are some of the spent rounds that we find in the bushes, these are from last Friday," he showed CBS 4's Ted Scouten.
He said some of his co-workers are scared. "They're like 'I don't feel safe coming to work when I have to carry a gun with me and these guys are just going to show up and do whatever the hell they want. I might get hit by a stray bullet. What now?'"
When deputies began saturating the area, the group move to 6415 North Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, near a movie theater and other businesses, and continued their takeover.
In order to protect those coming out of the theater, including children, deputies moved in and arrested Quallo, McLean, and Barber for speeding and racing on a highway. They also seized six cars and two firearms from Quallo, including an AK-47 with extended magazines. Eight spectators were given non-criminal citations.
"None of this is a light offense. None of this is joyriding. None of this is just young kids having fun," Sheriff Gregory Tony said. "We're going to continue to be aggressive. We're going to continue to go after these individuals. Expect us to take your car and take you to jail. This is your official warning. Stop the nonsense on our streets before you kill somebody."
Quallo, McLean, and Barber are being charged under a new Florida law, F.S.S. 316.191 that went into effect last October and targets racing on highways, street takeovers, and stunt driving. The law affects individuals who drive in these illegal takeovers, those who coordinate the events through social media, spectators, and those who knowingly ride as a passenger.