Video captured on social media sparks investigation into intersection takeovers across South Florida. NBC6’s Chris Hush reports.
A man who's allegedly been organizing street races and intersection takeovers in South Florida dating back to 2022 has been arrested yet again after Miami-Dade Police said he and a woman organized more takeovers this past weekend.
Jose Alfredo Martinez Jr., 32, and Marlene Olivera Dasilva, 31, were arrested early Saturday on two counts each of facilitating drag racing, Miami-Dade Police officials said.
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The arrests were part of an intersection takeover enforcement operation that also led to four citations being issued, police said.
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According to arrest reports, Martinez, who had posted a flyer on Instagram for an intersection takeover, and Dasilva, who runs one of the main Instagram accounts that reposts and shares the flyers, both recruited users to participate in an intersection takeover through a Telegram chat.
They posted an address in Hialeah where officers responded in unmarked vehicles and found multiple cars blocking an intersection, the reports said.
One of the police vehicles moved in, causing the other vehicles to leave, but another address in Opa-locka was sent out on the chat, the reports said.
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As officers responded to the Opa-locka address, they found Dasilva's car and stopped it, and Dasilva and Martinez were taken into custody.
According to the arrest reports, Martinez is facing charges in at least four other intersection takeover cases.
Martinez had been arrested in January on more than 20 counts of facilitating drag racing, nine counts of inciting a riot, and one count each for fleeing and eluding police and reckless driving, records showed.
According to arrest reports, Martinez has been coordinating the intersection takeovers in Miami-Dade and Broward dating back to June 2022.
Hundreds of participants and spectators have attended the events, where they show up and block lanes of traffic while racing, drifting, or doing donuts and other dangerous stunts, the reports said.
Authorities have said street takeovers and stunt driving incidents have been on the rise in recent years, and are extremely dangerous for participants, spectators and other drivers.
Numerous arrests have been made of organizers and participants throughout South Florida.
Under a state law enacted in 2022, it is illegal to participate in street racing. That includes takeovers, drag racing, donuts, burnouts, wheelies, drifting and other related activities that can create unsafe roadways. Besides jail time, drivers can have their license revoked and face fines upwards of $5,000.
