Three men have been arrested in connection with illegal street racing and intersection takeovers in Broward County, authorities said.
Mark A. Quallo, 40, Brandon C. McLean, 22, and Tyler Barber, 19, were arrested Friday for breaking a law against racing on highways, street takeovers and stunt driving, Broward Sheriff's Office officials said.
In addition to the arrests, deputies seized six cars and two firearms from Quallo, including an AK-47 with extended magazines, officials said.
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The arrests come after crews of reckless drivers have been periodically taking over intersections in Broward County in recent months, officials said.
The drivers perform dangerous and illegal stunts like doing doughnuts, burnouts and street racing.
"We start seeing that this thing was most certainly nothing that was a sport or fun," Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said at a news conference Thursday. "Throughout these individuals' activities, drag racing on public streets, they expose children parents and other vehicles and pedestrians to pretty much potentially losing their life. These cars are driving in excess of 100+ mph, they're doing drifting, all types of different tactics and wheelies out there if they're motorcycle vehicles, and we will not tolerate it."
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During Friday’s operation, detectives learned of a meeting of drivers in Tamarac. Once gathered, the drivers moved to a location in the 3500 block of Northwest 56th Street in Fort Lauderdale.
While there, deputies witnessed dozens of drivers, including Quallo, McLean and Barber, drifting and performing other risky, reckless maneuvers, authorities said.
Afterdeputies saturated the area, the group of reckless drivers moved to 6415 North Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, which is the location of a movie theater and other businesses, officials said.
The reckless driving continued in the parking lot and roadway, as deputies witnessed members of the public, including young children, exiting the movie theater, officials said.
Deputies arrested the three men and gave non-criminal traffic citations to eight spectators who viewed the activity, officials said.
Tony said there will be more arrests if the dangerous driving continues.
"We are going to take your vehicles and we are going to take you to jail," he said. "That’s the end result, that’s my mandate for every single one of these events that we encounter, there will be no ticket citations where you are walking away."
