Philadelphia Police Investigating Incidents Involving Illegal Street Racing and Reckless Driving
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Philadelphia, PA (September 22, 2024) — The Philadelphia Police Department is actively investigating a series of incidents that occurred overnight involving large groups of vehicles engaging in illegal street racing, drifting, and other reckless activities across the city.
Between approximately 9:30 p.m. and 4:33 a.m., officers responded to multiple locations where crowds ranging from 50 to over 200 vehicles had gathered. The incidents involved dangerous behaviors such as drifting, setting off fireworks, starting trash fires, and, in some cases, vandalizing police vehicles.
Known Incidents:
- 9:30 p.m. — 74XX Bustleton Ave: Approximately 50 cars were involved. Officers issued 9 citations under the Nuisance Car Ordinance and 15 citations to spectators. One driver attempted to evade police by driving directly at officers, colliding with a civilian vehicle in the process. The driver has been identified, and a warrant has been issued for their arrest.
- 11:47 p.m. — 20th and Pattison Ave: Over 100 vehicles were reported drifting and engaging in reckless driving. Two individuals were arrested after fleeing from police and crashing into a pole. Both are residents of neighboring communities.
- 4:00 a.m. — Island and Bartram Ave: A group of over 200 cars was involved in drag racing and drifting. Officers were attacked, and a police vehicle (RPC 12A) was damaged. The crowd dispersed when additional police units arrived.
- 4:33 a.m. — 15th and Market: More than 100 cars were reported drifting and setting rubbish fires. Officers were attacked, resulting in damage to multiple police vehicles, including broken windshields and flattened tires.
Officer Safety and City Vehicle Damage:
- A 39th District officer sustained minor injuries at 3:30 a.m. at 3300 Fox St. while responding to an assist call. His vehicle was struck by another car that fled the scene.
- Police Vehicles Damaged: Five vehicles sustained damage, including broken windshields and flattened tires.
Ongoing Efforts:
This weekend, PPD has assigned dozens of officers to address these illegal gatherings. The purpose of these deployments is to focus on the large, dangerous vehicular gatherings that have been forming throughout our city. A key part of these efforts is having officers in the Criminal Intelligence Unit gather data to learn of these events prior to their formation—an approach that has been successful in the past.
Unfortunately, law enforcement cannot prevent all of them, and even when we have the information, safely stopping the events in their tracks is not immediately feasible due to risks to officer and citizen safety.
To those participating in this activity: do not think for a moment that you got away with it and that you will not be held accountable. There are cameras everywhere, there is a considerable amount of evidence to go through, PPD will use that evidence to make arrests when warranted.
The PPD will continue to work with Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and the Parker administration - including the office of Chief Public Safety Director, Adam Geer, to put a stop to these dangerous activities.
The Parker Administration’s support is strong and unwavering, and instrumental in efforts to enhance public safety and bring those responsible to justice.
Public Assistance Requested:
We urge anyone with information regarding these incidents to contact the Philadelphia Police Department at (215) 686-TIPS (8477). Community cooperation is vital in helping us prevent such activities and ensure the safety of all residents.