2 more, including key organizer, arrested in connection with illegal Philadelphia car meetups
A key organizer and planner of one of the illegal car meetups in Philadelphia last month was arrested Friday morning in Levittown, Pennsylvania, police said.
Philadelphia police identified the man as Joseph Cavanaugh, 21, from Levittown, and described this development as "a significant arrest." Police said Cavanaugh was arrested on Coral Lane in Levittown Friday and charged with aggravated assault, causing risking catastrophe, criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person, criminal conspiracy and other related charges.
Police also arrested James Hare, 21, from Northeast Philadelphia, on Friday on the 11700 block of Bustleton Avenue in connection with the illegal car meetups from Sept. 21.
According to police, Hare was charged with causing risking catastrophe, recklessly endangering another person, criminal conspiracy, fleeing a police officer and other related charges.
Last month, police responded to 11 illegal car meetups throughout the city where large crowds and hundreds of vehicles took over intersections, setting off fireworks in the streets, doing doughnuts, street racing, drifting and engaging in other reckless activities.
"There's going to be consequences. If you're coming into Philadelphia, I'm telling you now we're not going to tolerate it. We have a lot of investigative resources on this," Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum said Friday. "And as I've said before, you're going to see us come knocking on your door first thing in the morning and you're obviously going to be charged, along with the DA's office who is helping us in our investigations and deciding on the charges.
Rosenbaum said there are several more arrests to come in this investigation. There have already been about half a dozen arrests in connection with the meetups, so far.
It's unclear how many car meetups Cavanaugh was previously linked to.
Earlier this month, police arrested a man wearing a banana suit the night of the car meetups. The man was identified as 18-year-old Shane Thomas. Police claim Thomas was part of an illegal car meetup on Sept. 21 in the city's Spring Garden section and added that he's accused of jumping on police vehicles.