Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said illegal car meets remain a serious safety concern.
Suffolk County police say four people have been arrested as part of ongoing investigations into illegal street takeovers and car meets that police say put people at risk. The arrests were made by the Suffolk Police Department’s Street Takeover Task Force and stem from three separate incidents that occurred late last year across the county.
David Alvarado Zelaya, 26, of Wyandanch, was arrested after police say he was seen performing a burnout in a parking lot along William Floyd Parkway in Shirley on Dec. 28. Another arrest involved Daniel Velasquez Chavez, 24, of North Bay Shore, who police say fled from officers during a traffic stop in Brentwood on Dec. 7, driving at a high rate of speed in a reckless manner. He was charged with reckless endangerment, unlawful fleeing from police and unlawful speed contests. Police also arrested a 17-year-old from Centereach on Jan. 2 after investigators say he fled from officers in a Selden parking lot on Nov. 28. A relative later reported the vehicle stolen, leading to an additional charge of falsely reporting an incident against Gerardo Benitez, 26, of Centereach.“One of the reasons we’ve been so successful is we have been able to identify them, infiltrate them and use that intelligence to not only prevent it, but anticipate it and ultimately make arrests with it," Catalina said. The Street Takeover Task Force launched in November 2024 to target organizers and participants involved in the dangerous gatherings. Since then, the unit has broken up 92 street takeovers, issued more than 8,600 summonses, made 65 arrests and impounded 103 vehicles.
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