Five people were arrested early Sunday after a car struck a police vehicle during an illegal street takeover on Bouldercrest Road in DeKalb County.
What happened: Police got a call about a street takeover at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday at the 2600 block of Bouldercrest Road. When officers showed up, people at the scene tried to leave. One car hit a police vehicle while driving away. Officers caught up with that car at a nearby gas station.
Who was arrested: All five people in the car were arrested and taken to DeKalb County Jail:
- 18-year-old Isaac Ayes faces charges of fleeing and eluding police, hit and run, improper lane change, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, and taking part in a street takeover.
- 18-year-old Joana Martinez, 18-year-old Camilla Marquez, 20-year-old Jhonatan Vega, and 17-year-old Antonio Brazil each face a charge of taking part in a street takeover.
What’s important: A street takeover is when a group blocks off a road or parking lot so drivers can perform dangerous stunts. Georgia law makes taking part in one a crime. Fleeing and eluding means a driver kept going after police tried to pull them over.
What’s still unknown: It is not clear whether anyone was hurt, including the officer whose vehicle was struck. The condition of the police vehicle was not reported. It is also unclear whether the 17-year-old will be charged as a juvenile or as an adult.
The path forward: All five face criminal charges. Under Georgia law, a street takeover charge is a misdemeanor on a first offense, but other charges in this case, including hit and run and fleeing and eluding, carry heavier penalties. All five are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.