Police Arrest 15, Impound 7 Vehicles During Street Takeover Crackdown on Long Island

Law enforcement in Suffolk County responded to an illegal street takeover that disrupted traffic on Long Island in the early morning hours of Saturday, resulting in 15 arrests and the impounding of seven vehicles. The Street Takeover Task Force had monitored social media and gathered intelligence suggesting a planned gathering would occur somewhere within Suffolk County, which spans roughly 1,000 square miles across eastern Long Island.

Officers tracked participants as they moved between multiple locations throughout Friday night, August 14. Police halted preliminary attempts to gather near Commack Road and Sunrise Highway in Islip and near Route 112 and Main Street in Patchogue before locating the main group around 12:50 a.m. Saturday near Woodside Avenue and Sawgrass Drive in Medford, where vehicles had effectively closed the roadway.

At the Medford location, authorities documented numerous instances of reckless driving, stunt performances, donuts and burnouts that rendered Sawgrass Drive impassable. The Street Takeover Task Force arrested 15 individuals, handed out multiple traffic citations and impounded seven vehicles. Fourteen of the 15 arrested faced charges for both participating in and spectating an unlawful speed contest, while participants came from communities across Long Island and New York City.

This enforcement action follows a larger street takeover incident occurring several weeks prior in Hauppauge and Brentwood, where at least 200 ATVs, dirt bikes and motorcycles flooded roadways. That operation resulted in three arrests and 10 vehicle impoundments.