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A proposal introduced by the Suffolk County Legislature on Tuesday, Dec. 17, would make it illegal for a spectator to attend the reckless stunts.
“Spectators will no longer be able to gather in crowds, blocking traffic and encouraging this dangerous behavior without any consequences to themselves,” Allen Bode, a spokesperson for the Suffolk County DA’s office, said at a press conference held Wednesday, Dec. 18.
The Suffolk County proposal follows similar legislation introduced at the state level in October that would levy stiffer penalties for violators and give law enforcement the authority to seize and forfeit vehicles involved in the events.
Street takeovers, in which groups of drivers block traffic to race or perform stunts, have sparked outrage among local citizens in recent months.
In one case, Route 25A was blocked near Miller Place Road for 15 minutes, blocking an ambulance that was transporting a patient who was in cardiac arrest, CBS New York reports.
A spectator was hit and suffered a broken pelvis during another takeover in Patchogue.
In November, the Suffolk County Police Department launched a task force targeting street takeovers. Since then, the agency said officers have broken up several of the illegal meetups, issued more than 1,000 summonses, and impounded numerous vehicles.
“Public safety is the first obligation of every government,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine told reporters. “We’re stepping up to the plate to address a problem before it gets out of hand.”
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